Family Ties
by Blenderguy15
Summary: (Sequel to The Strongest Bonds) When you've been through heaven and hell with someone close to you, it's hard to let them go. After Hunter, Nick had no intentions of letting Judy go whatsoever. But when his past arises in the form of a new case and a new villain, the duo's bonds will be tested, and if Nick and Judy aren't careful, those bonds will break beyond repair.
1. The Start of Something New

_**If you have not done so, PLEASE go back and read The Strongest Bonds! I will be making quite a few references seeing as this is the sequel, so you will miss out on jokes, plot points, and other important information if you don't go back and read the first story.**_

 **That's right. I'm back people! FINALLY, after two months since I promised I would start on Family Ties, I have the first chapter here for your reading pleasure. And woo boy, is it a long one!**

 **Anyway, I want to thank everyone who read The Strongest Bonds and gave feedback! You are all greatly appreciated, and your reviews have helped me grow as a writer. Now, without any further ado, I give you Chapter 1 of Family Ties!**

Officers Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps enjoyed spending time together as they participated in many different activities. They went to the movies together. They went out to eat together. They spent their days off at home together. Even at work, the dynamic duo could find ways to enjoy the time that passed, whether it was creating a competition to spice up Parking Duty or taking down a criminal together.

Of course, Nick and Judy weren't doing any of that right now. They had daily errands to run, such as a "quick" trip to the bank to deposit a paycheck. It wasn't something either of them was really excited to do, but they both had the day off, so they decided to go together. Because why not? They could at least keep each other entertained in the bland atmosphere of the Furs Zootopia Bank.

The main room was large, the polished walls and the marble flooring giving the bank a sense of authority, respect, and class. The sunlight spilled into the room via large windows in the front of the building, revealing the bustle of Main Street. Massive pillars stood proudly against the left and right walls, placed apart at regular intervals. Two armed guards were posted on either side of the room, keeping an eye on the patrons and bank tellers.

"Ugh, this is taking so long," Judy said, impatiently tapping her foot as she and Nick waited in line. While there were other lines, this one had been the shortest; now Judy knew why. A sloth was at the front of the line, slowly signing a deposit check. Apparently, the other patrons had learned this and skedaddled to a different line before it was too late, much to Judy's disdain. She heard Nick chuckle beside her.

"Don't worry Carrots," Nick said, his signature smirk plastered prominently on his muzzle. He looked down at his bunny, admiring the pink, button-up shirt and jeans she wore. "I'm sure the sloth at the front of the line will be finished _sometime_ this century."

Judy shot her partner an annoyed look. "While that is a _very_ comforting thought, you seem to be forgetting our plans tonight."

"I didn't forget, Carrots," Nick said as he tussled Judy's ears, much to her annoyance. "Just don't care," he teased in his best Chief Bogo impression.

Even though Nick's eyes betrayed this phrase, Judy turned away from Nick, her nose upturned and her arms crossed. "Well then," she said, ignoring Nick's smirk. "I guess you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight, Mr. Wilde."

"Come now, Mrs. Wilde; that's a bit rash," Nick pleaded, placing a paw over his chest. "Besides, you'd just join me eventually; I know how hard it is to resist my charms." That earned him a punch in the arm.

Judy turned away from her chuckling – yet injured – husband, hoping to hide the scarlet tint her cheeks had developed. Her sensitive ears suddenly picked up the sound of a silent struggle off to the far side of the room. She focused on the noise as she slowly scanned the large chamber, looking for the source of the commotion. Unfortunately, the larger mammals in the bank obscured her view, keeping her from finding the source from her current position.

"Where are you going, Carrots?" Nick asked as Judy began walking away. "Was it something I said?"

"Oh, hush," Judy replied automatically, her attention focused on the noise. "Just hold our spot. I'll be right back." With that, she disappeared behind a large elephant.

Something nagged at Nick, telling him to follow Judy; he knew that nothing good was in store when Judy got like this. However, he shrugged off the feeling. _She probably saw some shifty fox and decided to investigate,_ Nick thought, smiling to himself as he remembered meeting Judy at Jumbeaux's Cafe about three years ago. However, Nick occasionally cast a wary glance about the room, keeping an eye out for Judy or trouble, although he had the feeling he would end up finding both.

* * *

Very few mammals paid Judy any attention as she slipped through the crowd, and she paid very little attention to them. Judy was completely focused on the possible struggle she was listening to, which, to her growing dismay, sounded like it was coming to a close. She picked up her pace, hoping to get to the source of the noise before it was too late.

After squeezing between a rhino and a giraffe, Judy found between two large pillars a door labeled Employees Only, yet there was no guard in sight. Judy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion; she knew this bank to be extremely strict on security, and an unguarded door that was meant to be closed to the public was the exact opposite of that. As she walked up to the door, Judy glanced around, checking for any sign of the guard.

What she _did_ find made her freeze on the spot.

Off to her left, the crumpled heap of a wolf in the security uniform of the bank was hidden behind the pillar. A small, wire rope was wrapped around the mammal's neck, and the hook that would have held his key card now held nothing.

The thought to call Nick flashed through Judy's mind, rationalized with what had happened the last time they split up during a case. Besides, she reasoned she could use some backup in case she found who had killed the guard. As her paw reached for her police radio in her back pocket, gunshots rang through the air.

"Everyone on the ground, NOW!"

Every primal instinct screamed at Judy, and she obeyed without another thought. Hoping to get away from the gunshots, Judy slipped inside the door and closed it behind her. She pressed her body to the door, taking a moment to catch her breath. After she calmed down, she mentally kicked herself for hiding like she did. Sure Nick could take care of himself, but images from a less than a year ago flashed through her mind, reminding her of the dangers of splitting up. Not only that, but Nick would have even more material against her in their usual bantering!

Just as she finally calmed down, more gunshots rang from behind the door. Judy's heart rate spiked again as her breathing hitched; it was as if she had never calmed down at all. She took another moment to even out her breathing, lowering her heart rate in the process. As she realized that she would have to investigate by herself while Nick was probably about to be shot, Judy sighed angrily.

This was _not_ how she wanted to spend her one-year anniversary with Nick.

* * *

Without Judy by his side, Nick realized just how _boring_ standing in line at the bank was – even more so with the sloth at the front of the line. Without Judy, Nick had no one to lovingly tease, no one with which to engage in witty banter. All he had was his inner mind, which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't busy focusing on Judy. His beautiful, funny, _cute_ Judy, who wasn't in line with him...

Nick groaned quietly, annoyed with himself for being incapable of _not_ thinking of his wife. There were so many other topics to occupy his thoughts and help him get through this tedious errand. Work, sports, checking up with his mom, Finnick's next visit, the upcoming Gazelle concert and whether or not Clawhauser would buy Judy and him tickets even if they didn't want to go; he didn't have to think about how boring it was without his best friend next to him. Sure, today was a very special day for the two of them, requiring most of their attention to be on each other, but that didn't mean that Nick had to internally suffer as he waited to deposit a paycheck!

But what if Judy was in _trouble?_

Nick was so confused as to why this question suddenly popped into his head that he scoffed aloud, much to the visible displeasure of several of the other bank patrons. Why _would_ Judy be in trouble? He and Judy were celebrating on their day off, running an errand together in one of the highest-security facilities in all of Zootopia. The fact that Nick couldn't see her did not mean that Judy was in danger. Not even in the slightest.

But it didn't stop him from worrying about Judy, and he questioned why. Why did he think that Judy was probably lost? Why did he think that Judy had maybe hurt herself? Why did he believe that Judy may have found something worth investigating, but won't call him in for backup? As he questioned these thoughts, Nick realized that his breathing was short and sporadic, and his heart was beating rapidly. Rolling his eyes, Nick took a moment to drive away his worries and even out his breathing; a trick he had learned over the past few months. He hated that his anxiety levels had been a bit unstable ever since his "incident" with Hunter, but he considered himself lucky that it never incapacitated him in the field. It sure as hell put a damper on his mood, though, and the gunshots that rang through the air didn't help, either.

"Everyone on the ground, NOW!"

As several screams pierced the air, several thoughts pierced Nick's mind. _Where's Judy?_ was the first, immediate thought. Nick glanced around the room, looking for any sign of his partner. As he did so, the second thought pierced his mind: _Who's shooting?_ Unfortunately for Nick, too many larger animals obstructed his view, keeping the fox from seeing any sign of Judy and the shooter. After Nick had come to this conclusion, his third thought pierced his mind: _I need to get on the ground._

The natural desire to survive kicked in and mixed with his police training, sending Nick on edge. He quickly fell to the ground, keeping his eyes peeled for Judy or the shooter. More gunshots rang through the air, producing more screams from some of the patrons. Nick instinctively ducked his head under his arms in response to the sudden shooting, his fur bristling. Upon still not finding any sign of Judy, Nick came to the conclusion that she was – hopefully – out of harm's way, but he was about to get shot. He sighed angrily.

This was _not_ how he wanted to spend his one-year anniversary with Judy.

* * *

Judy cautiously crept down the hall, her ears swiveling as they searched for any sign of criminal activity. Her mind kept nagging at her, telling her to radio for Nick. To rub salt in the wound, images of less than a year ago kept flashing in her mind. The door closing Nick off from her. The massive paw hitting her in the back of the head. The fuzzy memory of a bumpy ride in a van. Judy pushed these thoughts away, forcing herself to focus on the present. She would find out what was going on and _then_ radio Nick.

Slowly but surely, Judy scoured the hallways, her amethyst eyes constantly glancing around as they searched for any relevant evidence. Judy began to grow tired of the unchanging marble floors and bland walls, each hallway starting to mesh together until Judy had no idea where in the bank she was.

Despair decided to gently grip Judy's heart as the bunny officer glanced around, trying to gather her bearings. The thought to radio Nick returned with vigor, and Judy nearly gave in immediately. However, as she inched forward and reached for her radio, a distinct clanking of metal made her ears perk.

Bingo.

Judy immediately hopped towards the source of the sound, knowing that she had _finally_ stumbled upon something. She pressed herself against the wall, poking her head around the corner to get a look at the commotion. Her eyes widened at the sight.

In front of the large, steel door of the safe, two mammals – a bear and a wolf – in clown masks were operating a large, clunky drill, the source of the clanking. Apparently, from the amount of cursing coming from both mammals, this drill broke down like this often, causing them many problems.

Judy took a moment to study the two mammals. Both were wearing navy blue business suits under Kevlar vests, giving the criminals a bulky appearance. On their paws were purple latex gloves, ideal for keeping pawprints off of anything that could be used as evidence. Even though their faces were hidden under the clown masks, Judy could tell that both mammals were pissed at the drill.

The bear's radio crackled to life, startling Judy. "Chains, Dallas, how are things going on over there?" the radio said, the voice somewhat gruff.

"Things are going," the bear replied, his voice reminding Judy of Finnick. "This damn drill keeps getting broke – no thanks to Bain – so Dallas and I have to always keep an eye on the thing. You know if Wolf took down the alarm system yet?"

"Yes, as well as all of the surveillance cameras," the voice on the radio said. "The entire building is dark."

"What about you, Hoofston?" Dallas – the fox – asked, his gravelly voice filled with sharp cunning. "Are you holding up your end?"

"Things are just fine," Hoofston replied. "Hurry up, though, or all of our asses are heading to jail!"

With that, the radio went silent. Judy leaned back against the wall, processing what she had just heard. Four mammals were in the process of robbing a high-security bank, and they were _succeeding._ The thought to radio for Nick flashed through Judy's mind again, but she blatantly refused; if this Hoofston was busy keeping an eye on all of the patrons, then radioing Nick would be a bad idea. Unless...

A plan formulated in Judy's head. It was incredibly risky, but then again, Judy was no stranger to risk. Setting her jaw with a determined gleam in her eyes, Judy turned to her left and raced down the hall. Judy kept herself focused, paying attention to small details to help her determine where she was. A potted plant standing in the corner. A painting hanging _slightly_ off-center. A trash bin moved off to the side. Within moments, Judy had formulated a crude map of the bank in her mind.

As she ran down one of the many hallways, Judy made a sharp, right turn, taking notice of a plaque on the wall that proudly held the words "The Safest Bank in Zootopia," a phrase that Judy had just learned was false.

After making the left turn at the end of another hall, Judy's heart fluttered as she saw the door labeled "Security." Noticing that the door was slightly ajar, Judy slowed her pace, moving as silently as possible. Judy craned her neck to get a glance inside the room, but all she could see was a cold, blue light spilling from the room.

Judy slipped through the door without a sound, immediately analyzing her surroundings. The office was filled with filing cabinets and PC boxes. Wires were spilled on the floor along the walls, each of them connecting one machine to another. There were a few desks, all of which were empty. Looking down, Judy covered her mouth with her paws; the bodies of several mammals in security uniforms littered the ground, small pools of blood painting the floor. Judy took a moment to calm herself down; she still couldn't get over seeing a dead body, no matter how many times she would see one. It was worse whenever Judy imagined Nick in the body's place.

Judy shook herself from those thoughts and brought herself back to reality. _Now is not the time to have a breakdown, Judy,_ she told herself. The bunny officer turned her attention to the back of the room.

At the back wall was a large set of different screens. At any other given time, these screens would be showing a live feed of the bank, but as of right now, each screen was reduced to a blue-tinted static. Standing in front of the screens as he rummaged through files and drawers was a wolf dressed similarly to Dallas and Chains. While the wolf's back was turned to Judy, the bunny could still make out the outline of a clown mask on the fox's head.

 _This must be Wolf,_ Judy thought, an unimpressed look on her face. _How fitting._

Judy noticed the radio on Wolf's shoulder, a sly grin creeping over her muzzle. As she slowly crept up on the wolf, Judy's leg muscles coiled tightly. Judy quickly calculated her plan of attack. Being much bigger, the wolf would have the advantage if Judy lost the element of surprise. However, one, well-placed kick could render the canine unconscious, and Judy wouldn't have to worry about dealing with the difference in size.

 _Well, here goes nothing,_ Judy thought as she got within range.

"Hey!" she said, her voice piercing the silence.

Wolf turned around, immediately aiming his gun towards the source of the sound. He saw the rabbit's eyes widen in shock as she noticed his mask, her hesitation just what he needed. Wolf fired at the bunny, crazily smiling under his mask.

Judy used the tension in her legs to jump off to the right, out of the bullet's range. She twisted her body around, planting her feet against a large filing cabinet and launching herself towards the wolf.

Wolf brought the side of his gun up against his body just in time to catch Judy's kick. Pushing against the bunny, Wolf managed to throw Judy across the room, using her momentum against her.

Judy rolled on the ground before picking herself up. Wolf shot at Judy again, only to see her roll off to the left, behind a large shelving unit. Taking careful steps forward, Wolf aimed his gun at the shelves, looking for any sign of the small rabbit.

Judy hid behind the shelving unit, taking a moment to catch her breath. Her sensitive ears caught the sound of Wolf's shallow steps, telling her that he was on the other side of the shelves. With a quick glance to take in her surroundings, Judy pushed her back against the wall and her feet against the shelving unit. Using all of the power her legs could muster, Judy pushed the shelves forward.

With a loud creaking sound, the shelving unit began to tip over. Wolf noticed this too late, unable to get away.

Judy winced as the loud crash of metal, cardboard, and other small items that had been resting peacefully on the shelves filled the room. Picking herself up from the ground, Judy looked down at Wolf's unconscious body, a large crack running down the length of the clown mask.

Judy's eyes caught sight of the radio on the wolf's shoulder, and a plan formed in her head. She only hoped it would _help_ Nick instead of getting him shot.

* * *

Nick lay on the ground, his ear flat against his head as he scanned the room. Now that all of the patrons were cowering in fear, Nick could actually see more of the room. To his dismay and relief, he saw no sign of Judy. However, he _did_ see the source of the gunfire.

A zebra dressed in a business suit, Kevlar vest, and a clown mask stood over the crowd of mammals, a high-end assault rifle in his gloved hooves. The lifeless eyes of the mask scoured the crowd, looking for anyone who dared try to be a hero.

Nick had listened in when the zebra – Hoofston if he remembered correctly – had called his associates on the radio. The conversation had spiked Nick's anxiety a bit more; if there were more armed criminals in the bank, then Judy could be in danger, wherever she was.

"Psst, hey!" a deer off to Nick's left whispered. "Aren't you a cop?"

Unfortunately for Nick, the whisper echoed throughout the room, reaching Hoofston's ears. Nick grimaced as the zebra spun around, glaring at the deer.

"What was that?" Hoofston snapped, his voice causing the deer to flinch.

Nick scowled as a hoof was pointed in his direction. _Thanks a lot, pal,_ he thought before turning his gaze to the zebra who now had the barrel of his weapon pointed straight at Nick.

"Get up," Hoofston said coldly.

Nick did as he was told, raising his paws in the air in the process. While Nick's outer appearance was calm, a battle raged inside of him. His primal instincts were telling him to make a mad dash for the nearest exit, to abandon everything in a desperate attempt to save himself. His police training was telling him to remain calm, and not to do anything "funny" unless _absolutely_ necessary. His love for Judy sided with both voices, telling him to run away so that he could find Judy and come up with a plan.

Under the blank smile of his clown mask, Hoofston took a second to size Nick up. Said fox was dressed casually: a loose, green shirt with leaves imprinted on the cloth, each plant a different shade of green, plain khakis, and a purple and pink striped tie hanging loosely around his neck. All in all, the zebra found Nick … unimpressive.

"You a cop?" the zebra asked as if he had maybe told the wrong mammal to stand up.

Keeping his face as neutral as possible, Nick nodded.

Hoofston looked Nick up and down again as if he didn't trust Nick's word. "You armed?" he asked.

Nick shook his head. "Off-duty," he said, his voice echoing through the large room.

The zebra nodded as if the two mammals were having an ordinary, every-day conversation. Before Hoofston could ask another question, the radio on his shoulder crackled to life.

"Uh, hey, this is Wolf, here," the gruff voice said. Nick face-palmed; he could tell that the voice was Judy trying – and failing – to sound masculine. Obviously, Hoofston could see right through Judy's act as well.

"Who is this?" Hoofston said, turning away from Nick.

"Uh, Wolf?" Judy replied, suddenly sounding not so sure of herself.

Hoofston challenged Judy again, but Nick didn't pay attention. Instead, he turned towards the last place he saw Judy run off to. He noticed the "Employees Only" door, his ears perking in interest. He glanced at Hoofston, who was still talking with "Wolf," and then back at the door. His mind was made up.

Nick bolted for the door, not risking a glance back at the masked gun-mammal for fear of tripping over some sorry patron. Staying away from the larger mammals, Nick weaved through the crowd of cowering patrons.

"Hey!" Hoofston shouted, ignoring his radio as he noticed Nick make a run for it. He aimed his assault rifle at the cop and fired, but Nick was too fast. As the gunshots echoed loudly throughout the building, Nick ducked down and slid along the marble flooring. The fox stopped at the door, wasting no time in slipping inside to get away from the gunfire.

Hoofston grunted in disappointment, but did not give chase; the bank patrons couldn't go unchecked. The zebra took a moment to gather himself and reached for his radio. "Dallas, Chains, we've got a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Dallas asked, his gravelly voice filled with trepidation.

"The kind that involves about two cops and an unaccounted-for Wolf," Hoofston replied, his voice sharp. The zebra was more annoyed than panicked about the current situation.

The radio silence didn't faze Hoofston, but the zebra knew what was coming. "What the _hell,_ man!? I thought that we planned this out perfectly!" Chains cried incredulously.

"Shut up, Chains," Dallas snapped. "We've got this under control. Do you know where the two cops might be, Hoofston?"

"I guess one's in the Security Office, so the other's bound to be on his way there."

"Good. Don't move from that room. Chains, go check up on Wolf. I'll stay here and man the drill. And most importantly, don't get your asses thrown in jail. We're not gonna be stopped by two cops who aren't even supposed to be working," Dallas said before the radio went silent.

* * *

Judy grimaced as she heard Hoofston cry out "Hey!" over the radio before the communications device went silent. She desperately hoped she had given Nick _just_ enough time to get away. Her sensitive ears picked up the faint, muffled sounds of gunshots coming from the main room of the bank, causing her to worry.

 _What am I so worried about?_ Judy asked herself, shaking her head as if the motion was helping get rid of the thoughts. _Nick can take care of himself. He won't let me down._ A new sense of determination flooding Judy's body, the bunny officer hopped off of Wolf's unconscious form and reached for the police radio in her back pocket.

"This is Officer Hopps to HQ, do you read me?" Judy said into the radio.

The small device crackled to life, and Clawhauser's voice reached Judy's ears. "Hey, Judy. Didn't expect your call today. What's the occasio – ?"

"Not now, Clawhauser," Judy snapped, annoyed at the cheetah's cheery attitude. After lashing out, Judy took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Sorry, Ben. We have an armed robbery in progress at the Furs Zootopia Bank. I'm not sure where Nick is, but I do know that there are four, armed mammals trying to break into the bank's vault. We need backup!"

"Alright, I'll get right on it!" Clawhauser said with a serious tone.

"HOPPS!" another voice bellowed over the radio.

Judy cringed at the all-too-familiar sound. "Yes, Chief?" she asked.

"Whatever you do, do NOT engage those criminals," Bogo growled, the bass in his voice threatening to break the tiny radio in Judy's paw. "I cannot afford to lose two of my _best_ officers before backup arrives; _especially_ on their day off!"

Judy cast a quick glance to the unconscious wolf behind her. "Yes sir!" she replied, turning back to the small radio, thanking her lucky stars that Bogo could not see her now.

"Good," Bogo said, sounding pleased. "Backup should arrive in about fifteen minutes, so you and Wilde lay low," the emphasis placed on "low" made Judy cringe away from the radio before the little device went quiet.

 _Great,_ Judy thought, placing the radio in her back pocket. _Now all I have to do is find Nick!_

Judy turned to the unconscious wolf, eyeing the body suspiciously. Letting her police training – and gut instinct – take over, Judy quickly used her spare pawcuffs to further incapacitate the masked criminal. Throwing his assault rifle out of reach for good measure, Judy felt pleased with the current situation. _He's gonna have a bad headache when he wakes up,_ Judy thought before turning towards the door.

* * *

Zootopia was an open book to Nick. He knew every single street and alleyway, and every shortcut in between. Back in his conning days, he could easily outrun the authorities within minutes without actually running very far. As a cop, he could easily cut off any criminal as they tried to make their escape. The entirety of Zootopia was mapped out in his cunning mind, every district as familiar as the back of his paw.

But in regards to the inside a bank with bland, repetitive hallways? That's a different story.

Nick had no idea where he was going or where he was. There was no respite to the marble flooring, no break between the dreary walls that were devoid of any decoration. Occasionally, Nick would come to a corner and make a mental note of anything that could be used as a landmark. A potted plant. An off-center painting. A plaque on the wall that proudly held the words "The Safest Bank in Zootopia" – much to the fox's bemusement.

That was when Nick caught her scent. Even though Judy didn't live in Bunnyburrow anymore, her scent still managed to remind Nick of freshly-tilled earth and carrots; while not exactly fitting of Judy's character, Nick still thought the scent suited her.

Nick took in a deep breath through his snout, honing all of his attention on his bunny. The aroma began to beckon him, telling the fox exactly where to go. As Nick began to jog through the halls, he took his first left into another hallway. Passing three other junctions, Nick took another left, all the while sniffing the air and honing in on Judy's scent. Down the hall, Nick saw a door with a sign labeled "Security" above it.

Bingo.

The door opened and a small, gray bunny stepped out, glancing around the hallway. Nick's ears perked up at the sight of his wife, driving him to practically sprint towards her. He noticed as Judy turned to him, her eyes widening with relief at the sight of her husband. Nick could almost feel her soft fur beneath his arms as he ran when something tackled him from his right. Something big.

Judy gasped as she saw the large bear charge at Nick from a hallway off to her left, throwing her fox into the wall with a loud thud. The force of the impact was enough to put a cracked dent into the drywall, but not enough to render Nick unconscious. Without another thought, Judy quickly charged forward, determined to help her partner.

Chains lifted himself up from the fox, a satisfied smile hidden under his clown mask. The soft patter of feet caught his attention as he turned his head to the right. The giant bear noticed Judy charging at him, picking up speed with each stride. As the small bunny launched herself at him, Chains crossed his arms over his chest, catching the rabbit's powerful kick. Using her momentum against her, Chains threw his arms forward, launching the bunny across the hall. With satisfaction, Chains heard the small 'thud' of the bunny's body hitting the marble floor.

Nick had just opened his eyes as Judy was sent flying across the hallway and winced when she hit the ground. Inhaling deeply as to replenish some energy, Nick picked himself up only to roll away from the bear as a massive paw was swung at him. Keeping a safe distance away from the masked criminal and his large punches, Nick began to analyze the situation.

He and Judy were significantly smaller than this bear. Paw-to-paw combat would be useless, the weight differences giving the bear the advantage. But, Nick and Judy were also faster than the large predator, with the stamina to match. Another point that Nick noticed was the clown mask. The bear's peripheral vision would be greatly hindered with those small eye-holes, creating quite a few blind spots for Nick and Judy to hide in. The fox and bunny could easily tire out the large predator and get away.

First things first, Nick had to get to Judy.

Nick dashed to the right, only to immediately roll to the left as Chains launched another blow at the fox. Picking himself up, Nick dashed towards Judy, getting to her as fast as possible. As he predicted, the mask kept Chains from seeing exactly where Nick was, buying the fox some precious time.

"Carrots?" Nick whispered as he gently nudged his bunny. When she didn't wake up, Nick tried again. "Carrots, get up!"

Her eyebrows twitched and the corners of her mouth tugged into a small frown as Judy's eyes slowly opened, revealing her amethyst pools to the world. She groaned as she turned her head towards her fox. "Nick?" she asked sleepily. "What time is it? Five more minutes..."

Nick rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop the small grin that formed on his muzzle; Judy _never_ asked to sleep in. "Come on, get up."

As Nick helped Judy up, the bunny decided to stretch away her sleep, much to the fox's amusement. After she was done, Nick noticed that Judy's eyes seemed to shine, reflecting her energetic nature.

Suddenly, the giant bear charged at the two officers as he lowered his body and spread his arms, effectively turning himself into a large wall of muscle. The guttural roar that Chains emitted from his throat shook the entire hallway and the bones of both the bunny and fox.

Nick and Judy quickly glanced at one another, a plan forming in both of their minds. Nodding in affirmation, Nick clasped his paws together, giving Judy a foothold. When Chains got close enough, Judy stepped on to Nick's paws and – with an added push from Nick – leaped into the air, well above Chain's lowered head. Nick noticed that the large bear paid no attention to the bunny as he kept charging at the fox. Setting his jaw, Nick braced himself for impact, stabilizing his stance and leaning into the bear.

Judy's eyes widened as she was launched higher than she expected; she was sure that Nick would've launched her at Chains, giving her the perfect opportunity to land a powerful kick to the bear's face. But no, Nick had other plans, as it seemed. Judy twisted in midair, her eyes widening again as she noticed what Nick was doing. He was bracing himself for impact, not making any move to fight or run from the freight train of a bear barreling at him.

"Nick!" she shouted as she landed on her feet, her paws habitually reaching for the taser that _should've_ been on her belt. Unfortunately, she only had her police radio and one pair of pawcuffs on her during her days off; her taser was back at the apartment. So instead, all Judy could do was helplessly watch as Chains charged into Nick head-on.

It felt like he was hit by a train at full speed, and then some. Nick's body was thrown backward, his paws lifting off of the ground. He hit the ground hard, his body sliding across the marble floor. Coming to a stop, Nick groaned as every muscle in his body ached at the same time. Nothing was broken, but that didn't mean that he didn't _feel_ broken. Opening his eyes, Nick could only see stars flitting around his vision.

That's when he heard it. The one sound that tugged at him, drove him to do more. Just one, simple name being called out by one, not-so-simple source.

"Nick!"

Judy's voice echoed across the hallway, bouncing against the walls and reaching Nick's ears, filling the fox with newfound determination. If that wasn't enough, Judy's voice also made Chains turn around, the large bear ready to finish the job. Nick picked himself up, but his eyesight was still blurred from a possible concussion. Almost immediately, his knees buckled on him, sending the fox back to the ground. With a groan, Nick tried again; he was _not_ going to give up. Using the wall as support, Nick managed to stand up, although he looked a bit woozy.

The large bear advanced towards Judy, popping his knuckles loudly. He smiled under his mask as he noticed the bunny's look of determination; she was not going to back away, not matter _how_ big Chains was compared to her. His slow advances sped up to a walk, and then to a jog, and then to a full-blown charge at the small bunny.

Judy stood her ground, coiling her leg muscles in anticipation. As the bear quickly closed the space between them, Judy calculated exactly where she would need to jump to land a kick that would do _some_ damage to the massive predator.

Judy was suddenly reminded of a few minutes earlier when Chains had thrown her aside as she tried to land a kick. If Judy tried to land another kick, Chains could just throw her aside again. This doubt caused hesitation in Judy, fracturing the bunny's focus.

"Hey! Over here!" Judy heard Nick call, catching the large bear's attention. She grinned as she refocused on her objective; Nick's distraction was _exactly_ what she needed. As the bear was distracted, Judy launched herself into the air. She twisted her body around, aiming her legs at the oncoming predator.

All Chains saw was a streak of gray, pink, and blue before something small hit him full on in the face. The bear could feel his head stop as the rest of his body pushed forward from the momentum of his charge. The massive bear's legs swept out from under him as he landed on his back with a loud thud.

Judy landed on the other side of the bear, her legs spread apart with one arm in the air and the other holding her weight; it was one of her favorite landing poses as it made her feel like those superheroes in her favorite movies.

"Nick, quick! Your pawcuffs!" Judy called, her arm outstretched towards her fox.

Still a bit flustered from being tackled, Nick fumbled with the pawcuffs, nearly dropping them twice before throwing them in Judy's general direction. He saw Judy catch the silver restraining device before applying them to the unconscious bear.

"Nice move, Carrots," Nick said as he leaned against the wall, clutching the bridge of his snout with his paw; he had a terrible headache, no thanks to that masked bear.

Judy bowed deeply. "Why thank you, Slick!" she said with dramatic flair. Her demeanor then became serious. "But how are you feeling?"

Nick slid to the ground, groaning as he did so. "Oh, _great_ , Carrots!" he said sarcastically. "I _totally_ don't feel like crap after being tackled by a bear!"

"I'm serious, Nick," Judy said, sitting down next to her fox. "Let me look at you; you could have a concussion."

Nick complied with no resistance, using the moment to get some rest. He allowed Judy to check his eyes and vitals, even going as far to check for any broken bones. As Judy gently squeezed his arms and legs gently, Nick winced as bruises made themselves known to him. After she was done, Nick watched as Judy stood up.

"Well, nothing's broken, and you don't have a concussion," she said, a relieved forming on her muzzle. "But you need to take it easy."

Nick winced as he shifted his weight. "I don't know, Carrots," he began, a concerned expression on his muzzle. "You know better than anyone that I don't _take it easy_ ," he winked, which earned him a punch on his bruise-free shoulder.

"Careful, fox, or you _definitely_ be sleeping on the couch," Judy snapped, although the smile was evident in her amethyst eyes. "Backup should be here any minute. Until then, Bogo told us to lay low."

Nick gestured to the unconscious bear a few feet away from them. "I think we've done a _fantastic_ job of that, don't you think?"

Judy ignored the remark, rolling her eyes as she glanced around the hallway as if she was looking for something to do. She could feel Nick's emerald eyes on her as she began to pace the hall.

"Something wrong, Carrots?" Nick asked, his snarky grin paired with his half-lidded eyes.

Judy groaned. "We have two of the four criminals accounted for, and one of them is busy drilling into the vault! And we can't do anything about it!"

Nick chuckled. "Don't worry," he said. "You won't be pent up for much longer. Like you said, backup should be here any minute."

"Right, but the bad guys could've gotten into the vault and gotten away with the money by then!" Judy said, gently biting her finger in apprehension.

"Then why don't we check up on them?" Nick suggested.

"How?" Judy asked, turning towards her fox.

Nick pointed at the unconscious bear. "Him."

Judy glanced from Nick, to the bear, and then back to Nick, confusion etched on her features. "I'm still not following."

Nick smirked. "Just get me his radio. I'll take care of the rest."

Judy finally caught on, her eyes widening with the realization. "But Nick, what if they don't fall for it? You saw what happened with me!"

"Right, but y _ou_ were trying to pretend to be a male wolf, Fluff!" Nick retorted, pointing a finger at his wife. He then pointed at himself. " _I_ just have to pretend to be a two hundred fifty-pound bear!"

Judy rolled her eyes and retrieved the radio from the comatose predator. Handing the device to Nick, she stepped back and waited to see what her husband had planned.

"You didn't happen to catch his name, did you?" Nick asked, pointing at the bear.

"I believe it was Chains," Judy said, thinking back to the conversation she had eavesdropped on earlier.

Nick nodded before clearing his throat several times. Turning on the radio, Nick gave Judy a small wink before speaking in a believably-deep voice, "Hey, Chains here. I've got the two assholes –" Judy scowled at the smirk her partner gave her. "– that were roaming around the bank. What should I do now?"

A second of silence ensued, rousing Judy's anxiety. Were they on to them? Were they on their way? Were she and Nick in trouble?

Her train of thought was derailed as the radio crackled to life. "Good job, Chains," a gravelly voice said. "Did you find Wolf?"

Nick nodded despite the fact that he couldn't be seen by the source of the voice. "Yeah, son of a gun is taking a good, long nap, no thanks to those two cops," the fox replied, unknowingly guessing the truthful situation.

The voice groaned. "Alright, fine. Get him up and head back here; drill's almost through."

"Uh, actually, I think we may have a problem," Nick said, feigning hesitancy.

The radio went silent for a second before the voice spoke up again. "What is it this time?"

"I have a feeling that the two cops managed to call for backup, so we better get the hell outta here before the fuzz arrives!" Nick gave Judy a wink as the radio went silent again.

Judy was impressed. Sure, their little "act" for Bellwether about three years ago had proven the two of them to be incredible actors, but Nick managed to surprise Judy from time to time. _Must be all those years he spent with Finnick,_ Judy thought, her mind hearkening back to the small fennec fox whose voice did _not_ match his size.

Judy was once again pulled away from her thoughts by the crackling of the radio. "God _dammit!_ " the voice cried, the sound almost too loud for the radio.

More silence.

As Nick and Judy waited, Nick couldn't help but imagine the criminal right now: probably glancing around the room nervously as if the cops would start forming from the walls or desperately looking for a sudden escape as to not get jailed.

Instead, Dallas was carefully formulating a plan that would get them the money they came for _and_ get them all out in one piece. A hard task for anyone else, but Dallas prided himself on his quick wit and keen cunning; he wasn't the leader of the group for nothing!

"Alright, listen up," Dallas said, the radio nearly startling Nick and Judy. "Take care of those cops. I don't care if you tie them up and throw them in a closet or kill them, but get them out of our fur. Then grab Wolf and meet up with Hoofston in the main lobby. The drill is almost done, so I'll stay here and grab some cash. If we're lucky, then we can get some pay outta this job! I'll let Hoofston know about the new plan."

"Got it," Nick replied as the radio went silent. Handing the radio to Judy, Nick gave his partner a sly smile. "What's with that look, Carrots?" he asked as Judy stared at him for a moment. "Didn't think I could pull it off?"

"Not one bit," Judy replied with a sly smile before tossing the radio on Chain's unconscious form. "I'm _surprised_ that they bought it. I've never heard such _terrible_ acting in my life!"

After Judy took a seat next to Nick and rested against his good shoulder, Nick wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into a gentle side-hug. "I'm hurt, Carrots," he said in a mock, whining tone. "And after all the _good_ things you said about my acting skills when we tricked Bellwether during the Night Howler Case!"

Judy chuckled softly. "That was a fluke, Slick; anyone can have great acting skills _once_ in their life."

Nick shot his bunny a sideways glance. "But that means I _was_ a great actor, right Carrots?"

Judy rolled her eyes before nodding. "Yes, Nick. You _were_ a great actor. At one point long ago in your life."

Nick scoffed as he planted a kiss on Judy's forehead. "Sly bunny."

"Dumb fox," was the jovial reply.

Suddenly, Judy's police radio crackled to life. The bunny quickly retrieved it from her back pocket just as Bogo's voice emanated from the small device.

"We're here, Hopps," the cape buffalo said. "Stay put and we'll come get you. Could you give us your location?"

Judy glanced at the sign above the door down the hall. "We're by the Security Office," she replied.

"What did I say about laying low, Hopps?" Bogo asked, sounding like he was trying to keep from snapping at the small officer.

Judy winced. "Sorry sir, won't happen again."

"I highly doubt that," came the reply. "Just _stay there._ " The radio went silent again.

"Ooh, looks like someone's in trouble," Nick teased, drawing out his syllables in a teasing manner. His shoulder suddenly erupted with a faint pain in response.

* * *

The radio on his shoulder suddenly crackled to life. "Hoofston! Listen up! We've got a change in plans!" Dallas said over the radio.

"What's going on?" the zebra asked, glancing around the room of cowering patrons.

"Chains took care of the two officers, but Wolf is down, and the police are on their way! I'm staying here to grab what little cash I can, so wait for Chains to show up and be ready to get the hell outta there!"

A distant siren echoed off the buildings outside, bouncing into the large room. Hoofston turned towards the large windows at the front of the building as several police cruisers pulled up to the bank. Dozens of officers then flooded out onto the street, each one of them locked and loaded, ready to take down these criminals.

"Uh, Dallas," Hoofston said apprehensively. "They're already here."

"What!?" Dallas cried out over the radio. "Where are Chains and Wolf, then?"

"I don't know. They're probably on their way here," Hoofston said, unable to hide the doubt in his voice.

 _"Come out with your paws or hooves up! We have the premises surrounded!"_ Chief Bogo bellowed through the speakers on his car.

"Don't worry, we have bigger guns than them," Dallas said over the radio. "When Wolf and Chains get there, those coppers won't stand a chance!"

"Uh, I hate to disappoint you," another voice said over the radio. Hoofston immediately recognized the voice as the cop from before, "but your pals aren't heading your way. They're a bit … _tied up_ at the moment."

" _What!?_ " Dallas cried incredulously over the radio. " _How!?_ "

"Dallas, what do we do?" Hoofston asked, nervously glancing between all of the cops gathering on the street outside.

" _Give me a second!_ " the fox hissed.

"You don't have that much time, I'm afraid," Nick taunted over the radio.

"Dallas, I think we should listen to the cop," Hoofston timidly suggested. "They've got the whole force out there!"

"Your friend's smart," Judy said over the radio. "He knows when he's beat."

The silence over the radio only helped to raise Hoofston's anxiety with each passing second. After what felt like a minute of radio silence, Dallas finally spoke again.

"Goddammit! How did we lose to two cops!?"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," Judy said over the radio. "Boom."

* * *

Like moths drawn to a flame, hundreds of mammals huddle around the front of the Furs Zootopia Bank, every pair of eyes trying to get a good look at the commotion. Within moments of the cops arriving on the scene, the media and news reporters arrived as well. As the four criminals were escorted out of the bank and into the awaiting van, dozens of microphones were shoved in cops' faces, every journalist trying to get the best "scoop" on this newsworthy situation.

The two officers that got the worst of this pestering were Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, who were the last to exit the bank.

"Officers, what can you tell us about the criminals that were apprehended?"

"Did you know that these criminals would attack this bank?"

"How did you two survive against a bear, fox, wolf, _and_ zebra!?"

Blinded by the numerous camera flashes as they tried to climb down the front steps, the fox and bunny asked their own questions and answer _those_ instead, allowing them to also give short and simple answers as they made their way through the crowd of microphones and cameras.

After escaping the hungry jaws of the press, Nick and Judy made their way over to Chief Bogo, who was just finishing giving the reporters a statement.

"Nick, Judy," Bogo greeted as he turned to the fox and bunny. "Well done in there. Sorry you had to be put on the spot on your day off, let alone your anniversary."

"No problem, Chief," Judy began to say before being interrupted by her husband.

"You're welcome, Chief, but I expect overtime pay for this!" Nick complained, a light of sarcasm in his eyes.

Judy face-palmed as Bogo gave the fox a death glare. Nick had taken a relaxed stance: his hands in his pockets, his shoulders slightly slouched, and his signature grin plastered on his smug little face.

"In other news," Bogo said, choosing to ignore Nick's statement; it wouldn't be right to take away Judy's husband on her anniversary. Besides, they had to come in to work tomorrow; there would be time to exact punishment then. "We also found the getaway car that the criminals had planned on using."

"Oh yeah?" Judy asked. "What was it?"

"A bright red Zooyota Treeus," Bogo stated clearly. "Don't know why they chose _that_ car; there's no way it could've outrun our cruisers," the chief gave a sigh of pity as the two small cops snickered. "Alright, you two get going. I'll take care of anything else the press may throw at us."

Bogo turned from the two cops and made his way back into the swarming sea of cameras, microphones, and annoying questions. Nick and Judy began to make their way to their car, politely ignoring any questions thrown at them.

"Predophile!"

That one word traveled past all of the reporters, piercing Nick's emotional walls. He glanced at the crowd, looking for the source of the insult to his wife.

"Prey Chaser!" Another blow, hitting Judy hard as her husband was insulted.

"Get with your own species!"

"Freaks of nature!"

"That's just _wrong!_ "

Nick and Judy were hit by every insult, the words cutting deep and threatening to take root in their hearts. Immediately, Nick's emotional defenses were up, his features hardening and his gaze going cold. Judy's ears drooped behind her head as she fixed her gaze on her husband. She sighed as she gave up on trying to read what was going on in his head; when he got like this, not even _she_ could tell what was going on behind those emerald orbs.

Judy walked a little closer to Nick, taking his paw in hers. A small smile tugged at Nick's lips as he glanced at her, his cold gaze thawing out at the sight of his partner, much to Judy's relief. Judy rested her head against Nick's arm as they walked towards their car, both of them starting to drown out the insults flung in their direction.

 _Don't let them see that they get to you,_ they thought individually. Nick could feel his spirits rising as the insults faded away. He looked at his wife, smiling as she practically bounced alongside him, her worries faded away as well.

"Get away from that bunny, you sick _animal!_ Stop taking advantage of her and leave her alone!"

Nick's heart skipped a beat as this last insult hit hard; it didn't help that he had started to lower his emotional defenses. The fox stopped in his tracks, his paw leaving Judy's as she continued forward. Nick felt like he was just shot through the heart as he stood there, staring wide-eyed at the ground. His breathing became short and sporadic, his heart rate increasing dramatically. Doubt, anger, pity, shame – these feelings and more rushed through Nick's head; some of it directed at himself, some of it directed at those who didn't understand or accepted Judy and him for who they were.

"Nick, are you alright?" Judy's voice calmed his raging mind. The fox looked at his wife, who was now turned towards him. Again, he admired the pink, button-up shirt and jeans; it was the same outfit she wore that day under the bridge, those years ago.

Nick smiled sadly at his partner. "I'm gonna get some air, Judy," he said as he began walking out onto the street. "Go ahead and head to the apartment without me."

"Where are you going?" Judy asked, her ears falling behind her head. She watched as Nick merely glanced back at her before disappearing around a corner.

 **Well look at me, writing 9,000+ words! Cimar of Turalis would be proud! Anyway, sorry it took so long to get this chapter out to you guys; I had a horrible case of Writer's Block and Procrastination when writing this, plus a desire to write different parts of this story. But I finally got through it, and I feel SO happy! Luckily, with all the time that I took, I can proudly say that Family Ties is very well-developed, so you guys are in for** _ **quite**_ **the treat! Buckle up, everybody, because I'm back and better than ever!**

 **P.S. I plan on updating every Friday, so make sure to hold me against that if I fail! It will be tough, though, since I will be starting my last year of high school on Monday... But I will power through it!**


	2. Colliding Plans, Welcome Encouragement

The sun began to set behind the towering buildings of Zootopia, painting the streets below with a cool, blue tint. The sidewalk was crowded with hundreds of mammals making their way home from a long day at work, and the traffic was a living nightmare. With a vast sea of mammals comes a plethora of hustling opportunities - anything from selling pawpsicles to conning some dough out of someone's wallet. At a very different time in his life, Nick Wilde would've jumped at the chance to partake in some easy money-making, his quick wit ready to out-think the many tired minds of the working class. But Nick was a very changed fox. He no longer conned poor, unsuspecting mammals out of their day's pay; he no longer tricked ice cream parlors into giving him the main ingredient he needed for the sweet, icy treat he used to sell. No, Nick Wilde now spent every day helping the citizens of Zootopia, breaking free from the negative stereotype placed on his kind. He thought back to his days trying to be a Junior Ranger Scout, remembering the oath he had longed to take: _I, Nicholas Wilde, promise to be brave, loyal, helpful, and trustworthy._ He now lived by that motto, showing the world _who_ he was, not _what_ he was.

Of course, that didn't stop everyone from habitually treating him like a sneaky fox. As Nick walked through the busy streets of Zootopia, many mammals distanced themselves from him; whether it was for fear of being pick-pocketed or catching some unholy disease, Nick did not know, nor did he care. Nick just ignored those mammals as well, letting them go about their business as he went about his. The fox knew this area of Zootopia rather well as it was one of his best spots for selling pawpsicles; the Lemming Brothers Bank was just across the street from him to his left. As Nick walked under the walkway above his head, he couldn't help but be reminded of when Judy explained how she had followed him around the day she had met him; it was the same walkway from which Judy had watched Nick. The thought brought a smile to his muzzle, cheering up the fox's mood.

Just as soon as his mood was brightened, a sudden, harsh feeling managed to bring him down. Judy's bright, happy image quickly darkened as her ears lowered behind her head and her amethyst eyes dimmed. She reached out her paw only to grasp at nothing as her image faded away.

The feeling was guilt.

Guilt for leaving her like he had; guilt for not at least explaining his intentions more specifically. Mentally kicking himself, Nick thought back to Judy standing there on the sidewalk, helplessly watching her husband walk away. The fox wouldn't have felt so bad if he and Judy hadn't just taken part in the prevention of an armed robbery, but they had. He and Judy had stopped four masked criminals from robbing one of the largest banks in Zootopia, and on their one-year anniversary, no less. That's not an ordeal you can't just walk away from, but that was exactly what Nick Wilde had done. And now, he was paying the emotional price.

Nick's feet stopped before a single shop on a quiet street, pulling himself from his dark thoughts. Upon gazing at the humble establishment, Nick was reminded of _why_ he had left Judy in the first place. It wasn't because of the stress brought about by being in a robbery; it wasn't because of the insults that the crowd had thrown at them. No, he had to do something _very_ important, and Nick just didn't want Judy to come along with him.

The fox took another look at the shop in front of him. It was rather quaint, yet held enough space to allow larger mammals to enter. The wooden framing around the windows and door were a rich green in color with gold accents on any corner of the frames and the door. Various potted plants lined the front of the shop, their vibrant colors a welcoming sight. The windows displayed more plants, each pot placed accordingly, reflecting the careful, organized attitude of the shop's owner. Nick couldn't help but glance at the large sign above the door as he entered the building. Golden letters over a green background read, "Emmitt Otterton's Flowers."

The faint ringing of the bell above the door announced the fox's presence as Nick stepped into the room. He took a moment to take in the flora around him, his emerald eyes drinking in all of the different colors. Plants seemed to be organized together according to color and habitat. Domestic flowers were bunched together near the front of the shop, their gentle aromas pleasing to Nick's sensitive snout. The deeper into the store that Nick went, the more exotic the plant type. Soon enough, Nick felt like he was in the Rainforest District with the thick foliage that was on display. The air even felt more humid back here, creating the optimal environment for the flora's growth and care.

"Why hello there, Nick," a cheery voice said, catching Nick's attention. The fox turned around to find one Mr. Emmitt Otterton standing before him, dressed in a green, cable-knit sweater vest, a pair of corduroy slacks, and a paisley tie – sweet Windsor knot. "How have you been?"

Nick donned his signature smirk upon the sight of the otter, relaxed by Emmitt's cheery attitude. "Hey there, Mr. Otterton. I've been doing great!" Nick said as he stuck his paws in his pockets. "How's the fam?"

Mr. Otterton chuckled, adjusting his glasses as he did so. "They're doing wonderfully! My little ones keep getting bigger every day; before I know it, they'll be off to college!"

Nick chuckled too. "I'm glad you guys are doing alright," he said.

"We wouldn't be if it weren't for you and Judy," Otterton said cheerily. "By the way, how is your wife doing? I saw on the news that you guys just stopped a bank robbery."

Nick stiffened slightly at the mention of his wife, but almost immediately regained his composure; Mr. Otterton didn't seem to notice Nick's slight hesitation. "She's doing fine. She's at the apartment," Nick leaned in as if he was afraid of someone eavesdropping. "She also doesn't know I'm here. I want to get her something _really_ special, seeing as it's our one-year anniversary."

The otter placed a paw under his chin in thought. "Well, I have _plenty_ of flowers to choose from. Why don't you follow me?" he said, turning around and beckoning Nick with his paw; the fox complied, following the florist through the foliage.

Mr. Otterton led Nick away from the exotic flora and back towards the front of the building where the more domestic flowers were located. Nick constantly had to glance from the sights of the shop to Mr. Otterton as to not suddenly get lost in the plethora of colorful vegetation. The flowers were eye-catching, to say the least. Vibrant splashes of colors whisked Nick's attention from one side of the room to the other, every single plant calling for his gaze. To top it off, the sweet concoction of aromas created a soothing atmosphere, capable of calming any troubled mind.

"What about these?" Mr. Otterton asked, gesturing to a display that held bunches of red roses. "You can never go wrong with a bunch of roses, and _these_ have had their thorns removed!"

Nick studied the flowers. The scarlet petals folded over one another, creating the complex and unique image that these flowers were well-known for. As Mr. Otterton had said, the stalks were bare of any thorns, removing the biological "inconvenience" that many mammals disliked. While Nick didn't mind the thorn-free rose, he couldn't help but think of how society wanted him and Judy to just _conform_ to the social norm, instead of being something that they shouldn't. Nick faintly grimaced at the thought, ultimately deciding against the rose.

"Eh, it feels a bit cliché," Nick finally stated, turning to the florist. "Got anything else?"

Mr. Otterton nodded. "Of course! If you would," the otter gestured again, and the two mammals started another journey through the flora. They walked through the store, passing several displays that hung from the high ceiling. As Nick's gaze was directed upward, more flowers came to view. Nick saw towering flora scraping the ceiling of the shop, easily recognizing sunflowers and confused as to what the other species were.

"What about these?" Mr. Otterton suggested as he and Nick walked up to a display of daisies.

Again, Nick studied the flowers. Daisies were very common, yet with the many different climates in Zootopia, there were plenty of mammals who had _never_ seen a daisy in their life. The white flower was simplistic, almost reminding Nick of the flowers that kids would draw. The daisies were nice but also commonplace; nearly every single florist in City Center sold the flowers. Nick, however, knew that he didn't want to go the easy way when it came to getting something special for Judy. All his life, Nick had to look out for only himself, but now that he had married his best friend, he wanted to do _everything_ in his power to let her know how much she meant to him. For Nick, a daisy _wasn't_ the way to go about that.

Mr. Otterton studied Nick carefully, noticing how the fox's ears would twitch as he thought deeply. _He's taking this rather seriously,_ Mr. Otterton thought as Nick's tail suddenly twitched. The otter chuckled, pleased with how much effort Nick put into making his wife happy.

"Eh, I don't know," Nick said hesitantly. "You got anything more," the fox paused, gesturing with his paws as if the word he was looking for would suddenly appear from thin air, " _interesting?_ "

The otter smiled. "Of course. I think I have _just_ the thing," Mr. Otterton said before once again leading Nick around the shop. Nick didn't bother gazing at the shop as he was too curious about what the florist could have in store for him.

As they walked around a corner, an intoxicating scent hit Nick's snout. The aroma tickled his nose pleasantly, soothing Nick's nerves again. The fox felt his head clear up and his energy replenish; Nick felt _refreshed_. As for the actual scent, Nick couldn't quite describe it. It was sweet and fruity, but at the same time, it wasn't. It reminded Nick of his trips to Bunnyburrow with Judy and the nights they spent under the stars. Nick was reminded of when he and Judy had visited the Hopps' blueberry fields, where Nick was allowed to gorge himself on his favorite treat.

"Here we are," Mr. Otterton said, gesturing to the display as he turned back to Nick. The otter noticed Nick's already-wide smile widening even more at the sight of the flowers. Donning a bright smile of his own, Mr. Otterton turned back to the bunched-up flora. "These are lilacs."

Nick happily studied the flowers, his eyes widening with appreciation. The first thing he noticed was the color. Each flower had a different shade of purple, immediately reminding the fox of Judy. The flowers grew together, creating a natural bouquet with each stalk. Nick couldn't help but be reminded of Judy's huge family as he studied the numerous amount of small flowers. Each flower was an individual and at the same time connected to the rest of the stalk, much like Judy's family. Nick smiled happily; the lilacs were _perfect_.

"I'll take 'em," the fox said as he continued to stare in awe at the flowers. "How much?"

Mr. Otterton chuckled. "Please, my dear boy, there is no need for that! Consider it a gift from my family to yours."

"But, Mr. Otterton," Nick began before being interrupted by the florist.

"Nick, please," the otter said, raising a paw. "You've done so much for my family and me. Sure, you saved the city and helped out hundreds of predators, but you and Judy helped bring me back to my family. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to see my children grow up. Without you, my family would only have been able to see me behind a plane of glass. Without you, my kids would only remember me as a savage _animal_ ," Mr. Otterton stepped forward, placing a bundle of lilac in Nick's paw. "So please, take this as a token of my gratitude towards you and that wonderful wife of yours. It's the _least_ I can do for all that you've done for us."

Nick smiled warmly at the otter as he allowed the florist's words to sink in. Being a cop, Nick had earned more respect among the citizens of Zootopia, but he always appreciated when someone took the time to _genuinely_ thank him and Judy. Nick reached out his paw, which the otter accepted happily and shook firmly.

"Thank you, Mr. O," Nick said as he released the otter's paw.

Mr. Otterton chuckled. "Thank _you_ , Nick," he echoed before suddenly shooing Nick towards the door. "Now go! You don't want to keep your wife waiting on your anniversary! Trust me, I know!" the otter added with a wink.

Nick chuckled as he was gently pushed out the door, turning around to face the otter one last time. "I'm serious, Mr. Otterton. Thank you," he began walking backward, firing finger guns at the florist. "I love ya; I owe ya!"

"You don't owe me anything, Nick," Mr. Otterton said, chuckling as he shook his head. He waved goodbye to the fox. "Say hello to Judy for me!" With that, the otter closed the door, and Nick went on his merry little way.

Humming to himself, Nick began walking towards his next destination when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. Shifting the bouquet to his other paw, Nick reached into his pocket, retrieving the small device. A smiled formed on Nick's muzzle as he saw the image on the screen. It was of Judy, her body surrounded by white covers and one red-orange arm. Her eyes had just opened, exposing their beautiful, amethyst shine. Nick's heart nearly melted every single time he saw that photo. It was from the first morning on their honeymoon; Nick had decided he wanted a picture of Judy waking up and revealing her bright, amethyst orbs to the world. He was lucky to get the adorable picture because almost immediately after waking up, Judy yelped, punched Nick in the shoulder, and hid under the covers. The memory made Nick chuckle.

Just as he was about to answer the call, Nick hesitated. What would he say to Judy? Would she be mad at him for leaving her as he had? Would she forgive him? _Maybe if I told her what I was doing,_ he thought. Suddenly, Nick's smile grew wide as he came up with an idea. A devious little idea, the likes of which would only come to the sly mind of Nick Wilde.

"Alright, Carrots," Nick said to himself. "Let's see how sly a bunny you really are!"

Pressing the answer button, Nick greeted his wife over the phone, "Hey, Carrots! What'cha doing?"

* * *

Because of their work, most of their time spent together was in a car. Whether it was one of the ZPD cruisers or their white convertible, it didn't matter. So many memories were shared between Nick and Judy while on patrol, driving to and from Bunnyburrow, or just sitting there, listening to whatever was on the radio. Judy had quickly come to cherish these memories, as she often saw the _real_ Nick, away from society's judgmental and prying eyes. It was through their many stakeouts, vacations, and patrols that Judy had learned who Nick really was: a dependable friend and the best partner a bunny could ask for. It was thanks to these many memories that Judy soon found herself falling for the fox, but she wouldn't admit it then; what would people think of a bunny who fell in love with a fox?

Apparently, Nick hadn't cared what others would think; he only cared what Judy thought. About a year after becoming partners on the force, Nick had surprised Judy by asking her out to dinner. Of course, Judy accepted, but it was what happened _after_ the dinner that changed their lives forever. Very little had been said on the way back to her apartment, and even less as they stood at the door. After an awkward silence, Nick had sighed and turned to leave. Unfortunately for the both of them, Judy's foot stepped right in front of Nick's as she reached out to Nick, accidentally tripping the poor fox. The fall wouldn't have been so bad had Nick not landed on his paw awkwardly and broke his wrist. Judy had quickly rushed her friend to the hospital, feeling so guilty about her friend's injury.

When Nick had finally been treated and returned with a cast, all Judy did was apologize profusely while Nick had calmly listened. When Judy had finished, Nick wrapped his good arm around Judy's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. He then uttered the cheesiest line in the history of cheesy lines: "I should be apologizing, Carrots. I'm the one who fell for you." Judy had been both disgusted at how bad the pick-up line was and ecstatic upon hearing the confession from Nick. From there, a wonderful, albeit difficult, relationship ensued.

But now, Judy didn't have anyone to utter the cheesy lines; she didn't have anyone with which to engage in witty banter. There was no shoulder to hug, no paw to tussle her ears. Judy Wilde was alone in her car, driving through the end-of-the-work-day traffic.

Judy had been trying to wrap her head around why Nick had left her at the bank, hoping to find an answer that _didn't_ devastate her. Unfortunately, the circumstances of the entire situation didn't help. Nick could have been too stressed because of the bank robbery, so he went to get some air. He could've been hurt by the insults that were thrown at them, and he needed to vent his frustrations away from Judy. What if it was both, and he didn't want anything to do with Judy anymore?

Judy scoffed at the last thought, immediately dismissing it as truthful. She knew Nick, and she knew that he wasn't the type of person to just permanently walk away when things got bad; if he was that type, then he wouldn't have stayed with Judy this long. Judy allowed these thoughts to comfort her as she flicked through the radio.

 _*Click!*_

 _We are never, ever, ever, ever, getting back together!_ Judy quickly changed the station.

 _*Click!*_

 _You put on quite a show, you really had me going, but now it's time to go. Curtain's finally closing –_ Judy sighed and switched to another station.

 _*Click!*_

 _What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was you?_ Another station.

 _*Click!*_

 _He doesn't love you anymore! Because –_

 _*Click!*_

 _I'M A LOOOOSEEEEER!_

Judy quickly and angrily shut off the radio that was apparently intent on dampening her mood. Yet, as she leaned back against the seat, she realized that the radio had succeeded. All the bunny could think about was the fact that Nick had left her alone without any explanation. Judy desperately wanted to know what was going through Nick's head right now. With a groan, Judy began to bang her head against the steering wheel after coming to a red light.

 _Why not just ask him, you dumb bunny?_

Judy paused her assault on the steering wheel, the fact that she called herself a dumb bunny surprising her more than the thought itself. But the thought was right; she was acting stupid for not thinking of asking Nick himself.

 _He'll talk to me. If not, I have multiple ways of getting it out of him,_ Judy thought as she pulled out her phone. She roamed through her contacts before finding Nick; it didn't help when you had two hundred and seventy-five siblings to stay in touch with. Pulling up Nick's contact info on her phone, Judy took a moment to gaze at the picture on the screen. She and Nick had taken a picture together at his graduation ceremony. Nick's eyes were shimmering with pride and joy, and his wide grin said it all: he had never been more ecstatic in his life. Judy shook herself from her thoughts as she caught herself staring at Nick, but he looked so dashing in his uniform. The thought made her smile.

"Alright, Slick," Judy said to herself, pressing the call button on the screen. "Let's see how dumb a fox you really are."

The phone rang several times, each passing second only fueling Judy's anxiety. She hoped that Nick wasn't ignoring her, instead praying that he hadn't heard his phone ring yet. Judy momentarily moved her attention back to the road as the light turned green.

"Hey, Carrots! What'cha doing?" Judy sighed in relief as her husband's voice emanated from the device in her paw.

"Worrying about whether or not our marriage is over. Trying to figure out why you up and left me at the bank. Confronting my feelings over everything that happened in the past hour or so," Judy did not say. Instead, she took a deep breath and put on a cheery attitude. "Just driving home. You?"

"I'm taking a walk," Nick replied over the small device held up to Judy's ear. "Passed by some _flowers_ while I've been out; they smelled _amazing_."

"What I wouldn't give to be with you right now," Judy said, glad that Nick couldn't see her smug smile; she was setting up the trap perfectly. "Smelling the flowers sounds a lot better than sitting at a red light for fifteen minutes at a time; traffic's _a nightmare!_ "

"I hear you," Nick stated, his tone one of exhaustion. "From what I can see, I'm surprised that you're this calm; you and I both know that patience isn't your _strongest_ suit," his teasing tone made Judy scowl, but she didn't pass up the information that Nick let slip: he was still in City Center; perhaps even in close proximity!

Judy took to scanning the crowds on the sidewalk as she drove, looking for any signs of her husband. "But knowing _you_ , you're not that great of a _social_ mammal, Nick. I'm not sure how you're surviving the storming sea of mammals out here!" she teased.

She could feel Nick tense up over the phone. "You can see me?"

Judy's smug smile turned malicious; she had unintentionally hit a weak point with Nick, and now she was going to take _full_ advantage of it. "Why yes, Nick, I can see you. You're the only mammal wearing that _awful_ green, floral shirt!"

"I thought you _liked_ this shirt," Nick whined with a mock tone of hurt in his voice.

"I _tolerate_ that shirt, Slick," Judy corrected, her eyes still scanning the crowds as she came to yet another red light. "Besides, you look _so_ much better when you wear something that compliments your fur! For example, that police uniform of yours …" she purposefully trailed off, hoping that her sultry tone had produced the effect on her fox that she wanted.

Nick's chuckle emanated from the small phone. "Don't start drooling, Carrots," the fox teased; apparently, her plan hadn't worked. "Besides, _your_ uniform is _so_ much better …" it was his turn to trail off, but his silver tongue wasn't going to get him anywhere this time; Judy was on a mission.

"Don't start drooling, Slick," Judy teased. At the light turning green, Judy made a right turn; she noticed – with much relief – that the traffic was starting to thin out. "Besides, flattery isn't getting you anywhere."

"Drat," Nick said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was _so_ sure it would work this time, too!"

"Calm down, Slick," Judy retorted. "You'll have plenty of time to compliment me tonight. That is, if you survive the 'wild' streets of City Center," she added with a fake ominous tone.

"I was born and raised on these streets, Fluff," Nick declared excitedly; the mental image of the proud look on Nick's face made Judy smile. "With my sharp wit and _bare paws_ , I became the strong, hardened fox that I – oh sweet cheese and crackers, that storefront is so _pink!_ "

Judy chuckled at Nick's sudden burst of excitement. "Found us a new favorite color, have we?" the bunny teased.

"Carrots, you know nothing will _ever_ top amethyst," Nick replied. "But the pink is so _ugly_. The entire front of the building is just a hot, blazing, 'stop-and-look-at-me' pink! It's an affront to nature and whoever is responsible should be rotting in jail … or they should _really_ reconsider getting a new paint job," the fox added softly.

"Has someone been put off of pink indefinitely?" Judy asked with a mock tone of disappointment. "If so, we'd have to swear off the Pink Moscato we like so much, and what would I do with that dress?"

"Let me get away from the store; my brain can't take much more of it," Nick replied playfully. "But I could _never_ give up Pink Moscato! That would be sacrilege! The dress on the other hand," Nick paused, the phone going silent as the fox pretending to mull over the decision. "We could probably sell if for a reasonable price; with my business skills, we could even get a _profit!_ "

"Over my dead body," Judy challenged; her tone was a dangerous mixture of playfulness and seriousness.

"Alright, alright," Nick said, backpedaling from his tease. "We won't sell the dress. Would it be too late to say that you look good in it?"

"Yes," Judy blatantly stated. "But, by all means, go right ahead; nobody's stopping you," she added, her smile turning smug again. She came up to another red light, but she was now free from the thick traffic; it was a straight shot from here to the apartment.

Nick chuckled over the phone. "No, no, the mood is lost. It would mean _nothing_ for me to say that now," he said somewhat dramatically.

Suddenly, Judy's ears caught the faint ring of a bell over the phone. "What was that?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Judy heard Nick's voice, but he wasn't speaking to her. His voice was faint and muffled as if he was covering his phone with his paw; unfortunately for him, he was married to a bunny, and bunnies had big ears for a reason. Unfortunately for Judy, the audio quality of the phone kept the rabbit from making out any coherent words. From the tone of Nick's voice, he was talking business with another mammal, and he didn't want Judy to hear.

After another moment of muffled talking, Nick's voice became clearer. "Sorry about that, Carrots," he apologized, purposefully being vague; Judy wasn't going to accept that.

"Oh, no problem," Judy said innocently. Her tone changed, becoming slightly sharper as she went on the offensive. "Who were you talking to?"

Judy could practically see Nick's ears fold against his head; he had been caught. Knowing Nick, though, he wouldn't stay trapped for long, being the slippery devil he was. "Oh, you know, just another grateful citizen of Zootopia asking for the autograph of the ZPD's first fox cop," he said coolly, but Judy saw straight through the lie.

"Bull!" Judy said, her face a smug mask that would put Nick to shame. "Not _once_ has _anyone_ wanted your autograph, no matter how 'famous' you are. Besides, the chief is against those kinds of practices; 'sends the fame to the head,' he says."

"That's why I'm off-duty, and just because _you_ haven't seen anyone asking for my John Hanclaw doesn't mean that it never happens!" Nick defended, a faint tone of mock hurt in his voice.

"Sure, Nick, sure," was all Judy said as she came to the last red light before reaching her apartment. If she was going to get some information out of Nick, it was now or never.

"I see the apartment," Judy said, almost to herself. "How long do I need to hold out before you get here?" This was her last, desperate attempt to get any info out of Nick; she prayed it would work.

Nick chuckled softly. "Not too long. I'll be stopping to grab us some dinner before I head back. That sound good?"

"Where do you plan on going?" Judy asked, trying not to sound disappointed; while she was glad to know that she would see Nick soon, she wanted something a bit more _specific_.

"Ah ah ah," Nick scolded; Judy could virtually see his finger waving in her face as he said this. "It's a surprise, Carrots. You'll have to wait and see."

Judy rolled her eyes, fatigue from earlier events finally catching up to her and forcing her to accept defeat. "Fine. It better be a _good_ surprise, or you really are sleeping on the couch!"

"When have I ever let you down, Carrots?" Nick asked. He was setting himself up for failure with that question.

"Do you really want me to answer that question, Slick?" Judy replied blatantly.

"Only if the answer is positive," Nick quickly retorted.

 _Nice recover, Slick,_ Judy thought, her mood somewhat brightened thanks to her husband's charisma. "Then I'm afraid you won't be getting an answer," she said as she pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex.

Nick chuckled over the phone. "You sly, mean bunny."

"You dumb, handsome fox," was the reply.

"See you later, then, Carrots. Make sure you get some rest," Nick said, a faint tone of concern in his voice.

"Gee, thanks, Mom," Judy replied sarcastically. "I'll get my homework done before dinner, too."

"That's my girl," Nick replied happily, drawing out a chuckle from the bunny. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Judy replied, and the phone went silent. The bunny sighed as she placed her phone in her pocket and exited the car.

She took a moment to study the building that loomed before her. It was one of the nicer apartment complexes in City Center, closer to the ZPD, and all around better than what Nick and Judy had back at the Grand Pangolin Arms. The building was large and gray but still managed to emanate a warm and inviting feeling through the colorful flora that decorated the exterior. The complex was built to accommodate all sizes of mammals: the two lower floors were designed for large mammals; the two floors above those accommodated mammals around Nick and Judy's sizes; and finally, the two top floors housed the smallest of mammals. Each floor contained about ten, full-sized apartments, filled to the brim with every amenity on Nick and Judy's wish list.

The front doors had three handles, each at a different height to be more convenient for each general size of mammal: small, medium, and large. Each handle connected with the other two, allowing the door to be opened using any _one_ of the handles. Judy walked through the entrance, using the handle designed specifically for mammals of her size, and entered the lobby.

The welcoming smell of some exotic air freshener met her nose, rejuvenating the tired bunny as she walked towards the elevators on the other side of the room. Her amethyst eyes scanned the large room as she did so, deciding to take in the sights that she had grown accustomed to over the six months she and Nick had lived here. As the sun drifted even lower in the sky, the warm, orange walls of the room were tinted a faint blue thanks to the large windows at the front of the complex.

Judy turned her attention to the receptionist – a female cougar with sandstone-colored fur – manning the front desk, her cheery attitude rivaling that of Clawhauser's. In her paws was the day's newspaper, the headline immediately drawing Judy's attention.

RECENT STRING OF ROBBERIES CONNECTED TO NEW CRIME BOSS?

Her ears perking in interest, Judy walked up to the desk, hoping to get a better look at the article. She skimmed over the multiple paragraphs, her eyes picking up key words and phrases.

"...Recent events have shown that the rise of crime..."

"...multiple robberies have plagued Zootopia for the past..."

"...much controversy has arisen because of this. Will the ZPD..."

"...the rumors have grown in strength and numbers, but one thing remains certain..."

"...all we can do is hope that he gets what's coming to him, this Victor Wil-"

"Oh, hello Judy!" The newspaper was folded away as the receptionist finally noticed the bunny's presence. "How are you doing?"

Judy blinked repeatedly, the sudden shock back into reality still processing in her brain. "I-I'm fine," she finally stammered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "How are you, Stacy?"

Stacy's ears folded against her head as her faced donned a somewhat-bored mask. "Oh, you know, as great as I can be," her mood immediately brightened, her brown eyes twinkling with glee. "I just watched you guys on the news! That was _so cool_ how you stopped that robbery; on your _anniversary_ , no less!"

Judy's smile widened as she "humbly" shrugged off the praise. "Oh, it was nothing really. Just making the world a better place."

The cougar smiled brightly before looking around the room as if she had lost something. "By the way, where's Nick?"

"Oh, he said he needed to get some air, so I went ahead and came here," Judy said, her ears falling behind her head.

As if she could see right through the fake happiness, Stacy decided to add a lighter note to the conversation. "Ooh, he's getting you something _special_ for your anniversary, isn't he?" she asked excitedly, her enthusiasm equivalent to that of Clawhauser when Gazelle was brought up. "Do you know what he's getting?"

Judy gave the cougar a small smile. "No, I don't. He says it's a surprise," Judy had to flatten her ears against her head to keep them from getting permanently damaged by the high-pitched squeal that emanated from the receptionist.

"That means it's _extra_ special!" Stacy looked like she would explode into a cloud of happiness at any moment. "Oh, Judy, you're so lucky to have such a _great_ husband!"

Judy's smile grew larger, a genuine feeling of happiness seeping through her body. "I guess I am," she chirped, her eyes donning the same twinkle that Stacy's held.

Giving Stacy a wave goodbye, Judy made her way to the elevators. Her spirits remained high as she stepped inside the small room, Stacy's excitement rubbing off on the bunny. Nick was all Judy could happily think about as she was whisked away to the third floor.

After the bunny had left, Stacy refused to return to her newspaper. She was determined to watch for Nick and immediately send him upstairs to his waiting wife.

 **Did you guys catch the song references? Yes? Good! Can you tell what Nick is getting Judy? No? Good! It's a surprise! If you** _ **did**_ **manage to figure it out, then you're as clever as Nick!**


	3. Happy Anniversary!

**Hey guys! I first want to apologize for the sudden ending of the previous chapter; I made a last-second decision to split the chapter in two, leaving me with little time to doctor the ending. I may go back soon and edit it to give a better transition. Anyway, I want to warn you guys: the following chapter is ULTRA FLUFFY! Do NOT eat or drink anything sugary while reading this, or you may not survive!**

Judy waited. She waited in the living room on their incredibly comfortable couch. She waited in their full-sized kitchen, involuntarily grazing the granite counter-tops with her paw. She waited in the bedroom, hidden in the mountain of soft pillows and warm sheets that she and Nick called a bed and heaven. Judy waited and waited for Nick to come home, her anxiety rising with each passing minute.

Unfortunately, being impatient by nature can distort time against you. Judy Wilde thought she waited for hours on end; she waited for about ten minutes.

Judy contemplated calling Nick again, if only to get his ETA, but she ultimately thought against it. Nick had said that he would be home soon, and she trusted him. It just didn't help that she didn't have anything else to do to get her mind off of her fox. Nothing interesting was ever on TV, and Judy dared not watch any Zetflix for fear of accidentally getting ahead in the shows she and Nick watched together. Since Nick was bringing dinner home, Judy stayed away from the kitchen; if she began to snack while being bored _and_ anxious, there would be no stopping her until _all_ the food was gone. There was nothing to do in the bedroom except to maybe build a pillow fort, but Judy just wasn't feeling it. In the end, Judy took to waiting for Nick as she lay face-down on the couch, slightly sunken into the cushions.

Her ears perked to the sound of a key being inserted into the keyhole in the door, her ears lifting off the couch in a comical manner. Her head soon followed suit, her lavender eyes eagerly scanning the door as her heart fluttered in anticipation.

The door opened, revealing the only mammal Judy wanted to see. Like a bullet, Judy launched herself off of the couch and into the waiting arms of her best friend, partner, and husband.

"Nick!" she beamed, hugging her fox tightly. She felt his arms wrap around her, returning the hug; she also felt that his paws were full of different items.

Leaning back from the hug, Judy placed a kiss on Nick's muzzle, which he gladly reciprocated. After breaking the kiss, Judy stepped away from Nick, allowing him space to enter the apartment and free his paws.

The first thing that Judy noticed was the scent. She could smell the savory aroma of pasta with a small undertone of something _flowery_. The simple concoction of aromas smelled fantastic, soothing Judy's nerves and spiking her hunger.

The second thing that Judy noticed was the fact that Nick had multiple paper bags and one large, over-decorated box. He seemed to have gone on quite the shopping spree, much to Judy's surprise; Nick was not a "shopping" sort of fox.

After placing the items on the kitchen counter, Nick turned back to Judy and enveloped her in another hug. "Sorry for walking out on you, Judy," he said, his voice soft and sincere. "I'm sorry if I hurt you because of it."

Judy returned the hug, nuzzling the crook of his neck in the process. "Well it _did_ hurt," Judy began, her tone sarcastic. "But I _guess_ that I can forgive you. After all, you still came back to me. Out of love for me or fear that I would hunt you down, I don't know, but at least you're here."

Nick chuckled. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I was already planning on getting away to pick up some special things for our _special_ night. I just didn't plan on stopping an armed robbery."

Judy squeezed herself closer to her fox. "Eh, I guess that makes me feel a _little_ bit better," she teased. "However, if what you got me is as special as you say it is, _then_ I'll feel a _lot_ better!"

Nick leaned away, his raised eyebrow complimenting the mixture of amusement and shock on his face. "When did you get to be the needy type?" he asked incredulously.

"When my fox decided to up and leave me after such a _traumatic_ event!" Judy said with over-the-top exaggeration, dramatically falling into Nick's chest, drawing a surprised chuckle from the fox. "You know how _emotional_ us bunnies can get."

Nick smiled down at his bunny as she smiled up at him, amethyst pools clashing with an emerald sea. "I wouldn't have it any other way," Nick said, immediately cringing. "Uh, God, that was cheesy."

Judy snickered. "Yes. Yes it was," she quipped as she pushed herself away from Nick's embrace. Her stomach grumbled angrily as she took in a whiff of the wonderful scent coming from one of the bags Nick had placed on the counter. "Let's eat before you completely kill the mood; I'm _starving!_ "

Nick smiled and shook his head as he joined his bunny by the counter. He could see the curiosity in her eyes as she tried to decipher which bag held the food; Nick had purposefully packed everything into identical bags _just_ to mess with her a little more. "Alright, Carrots, before I get the food out, I want you to guess where I got it from," Nick challenged, wiggling his eyebrows for effect.

Judy grinned; challenge accepted.

The bunny took a deep sniff of the air, closing her eyes as if her sense of sight would distract her. She held the breath for a moment to add a pause for dramatic effect. Releasing the breath, Judy gave an audible sigh of content as she began to deduce where the food was from.

"Well, it most certainly is pasta of some sort," the bunny began, placing a paw on her chin in thought, much to Nick's growing amusement. "The scent is very familiar, but I just can't put my finger on it!"

Nick's smile grew wider, his eyes sparkling as he beheld his bunny. "I'll give you three tries, Carrots," Nick said, placing his paws on her shoulders. He could feel Judy relax under his touch.

"Okay, let's see," Judy said, her eyebrows scrunching in contemplation. "Is it … Pawlive Garden?" she guessed.

"Nope," Nick stated, shaking his head. "Not Pawlive Garden. You have two more guesses." To emphasize his point, he held up two fingers.

Judy began to concentrate, sifting through the list of restaurants that came to mind when she took a whiff of the scent that now enveloped the entire apartment. "Is it," she paused, biting her lip in thought, "Spiagiraffe?"

Again, Nick shook his head. "Nope. One more guess."

Judy faintly groaned before thinking again. She bit her knuckle thoughtfully as she skimmed over the list in her mind; it didn't help that it was a _long_ list. The pressure was incredibly strong for being such an innocent game, but Judy was the type to get competitive.

"Alright," she said, inhaling as she prepared her final answer. "Is it Zrasca?" she guessed, crossing her fingers in anticipation.

"Congratulations, Carrots!" Nick said, his eyes widening with excitement; Judy felt her heart begin to soar. "You got _every_ guess incorrect!" And just like that, Judy's excitement was suddenly replaced with crushing disappointment.

"You're a real jerk; you know that?" Judy said, her mood soured from the false sense of victory.

"I'm sorry, Carrots, I couldn't resist," Nick apologized, planting a kiss between her ears. " _But_ , I think that you'll like what I got for us," as he said this, he retrieved one of the bags from the counter and made his way across the living room. Judy followed her fox as they walked out onto the balcony that hugged the side of the building. They had been very fortunate to have an apartment at the end of the hall; their balcony wrapped around the corner of the building, giving the fox and bunny a space of privacy away from the prying eyes of nosy neighbors.

The night air gently nipped at any uncovered fur, but that didn't put Nick and Judy off of eating their dinner at the small table for two they had set up. Being on the private side of the balcony, Nick and Judy had decided to spend most of their evenings out on the balcony together, whether it was eating dinner or just idly chatting. Tonight, Nick had something _special_ planned and had prepared accordingly. The small table was set up for a romantic evening: linen cloth, two placemats, cutlery, plates, glasses, and a single candle.

Nick set the bag on the table before pulling out Judy's chair for her. Smiling at the thanks he received as Judy sat, Nick turned his attention to the bag of food.

Placing his paw in the bag, Nick smirked at his bunny as he paused, allowing the anticipation to build up. He drank in Judy's anxious expression as he stood there, making no move to move his paw from the bag and reveal where he had retrieved dinner.

Judy quickly caught on to Nick's plan. "Oh, come _on_ , Nick!" she whined, pulling at her ears in a mixture of hunger and anticipation. "Just get the food out here, already!"

Nick chuckled, his grin growing smugger by the minute. "Patience certainly isn't one of your strong suits, huh Carrots?" he joked; Judy only scowled at him, crossing her arms over her chest. Nick took the hint. "Alright, alright, don't get your ears in a twist!" he said as he finally pulled out the food.

Judy's eyes widened as she caught sight of the contents of the bag. There were two, delicately-packaged containers filled with spaghetti, salad, and a bread stick. As Nick pried open the lids and carefully transferred the food from the container to the plate, Judy's stomach growled violently. Her cheeks flushing scarlet, Judy brought her ears over her face as Nick chuckled.

"Hungry, are we?" he asked as he placed the empty containers back in the bag. He smiled as Judy nodded shyly, her embarrassed smile semi-hidden beneath her ears. Nick glanced at the table and realized something. "Oh, I almost forgot!" he stated, his ears perking to match his emotion. Without explanation, he quickly entered the apartment again.

Judy took the opportunity to glance at the label on the containers; her curiosity was eating away at her with as much ferocity as her hunger. Her eyes widened again as she recognized the elegant font of the restaurant known as Piazza della Citta Ristorante Tony. Memories of their first date flashed through her mind: Nick picking her up from her apartment in that run-down car of his; her surprise that he had taken her to one of the most expensive restaurants in all of Zootopia; her even _bigger_ surprise when he paid for the entire thing! It was one of the best nights of her life.

Nick returned, pulling the rabbit from her thoughts. In his paws was a bottle of Bearpaw Pink Moscato wine - their favorite. He quickly removed the cork from the neck of the bottle before pouring a glass for Judy and himself. The fox glanced at his bunny, chuckling at the awed look she was giving him.

"Be careful Carrots," he teased as he placed the bottle to the side. "You'll swallow a fly with your mouth open like that," The fox's smile widened as he watched Judy blink and close her mouth. "What's got you so worked up, tonight?" Nick asked as he took his seat across from her. He quickly reached into his pocket, retrieving a match before lighting the candle. The fox, bunny, and table were drenched in a soft, warm light.

"You," Judy replied as she placed a napkin in her lap, her stomach readying itself for the journey to Nirvana it was about to embark on. "You _and_ everything you've done tonight. It's wonderful," she added, a warm smile creeping over her muzzle.

Nick bowed his head in thanks. "Anything for my sly bunny," he said lovingly, his half-lidded gaze filled shimmering in the candlelight. "It's not every day you have a one-year anniversary!"

Judy chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you picked out our favorite restaurant," she said as she began to dig into her pasta. "If you were cooking, this would also be our _last_ anniversary!"

Nick scoffed behind a mouthful of spaghetti. "Carrots, may I remind you of all those dinners I cooked for you over the past three years?" he said, pointing a mock accusatory finger at his bunny.

"No you may not," Judy retorted, a smug smile planted happily on her lips. "I don't feel like reliving those memories again; not during dinner."

"You mean bunny," Nick whined. "First you rebuke my acting skills, and now you tell me that you hate my cooking!?" he scoffed, his snout upturned and his arms crossed. "I don't know why I do the things I do for you anymore."

"You know you love me," Judy teased before taking a bite of her pasta.

Nick's ear flicked at the question, the only movement as he kept his pouting pose. Within moments, his lips betrayed him, too; a small smile began to tug at the corners of his mouth. "Do I know that?" Nick asked, unable to stay "mad" at his bunny any longer. "Yes," he nodded, "yes I do."

They ate in a peaceful silence, content to just enjoy each other's company instead of starting a conversation. The warm light of the candle mingled with the soft glow from the inside of the apartment, giving the two mammals plenty of illumination with which to enjoy their dinner.

If there was one thing that either mammal enjoyed more than the food or each other, it was the view. Since the complex was built on slightly higher ground than most other buildings, the balcony looked out over the streets of Zootopia with a minimal number of obstructions. From Nick and Judy's perch, they could even see a little past the border between City Center and Tundratown. And oh, what a sight that was. Hundreds of colorful dots lit up the city, creating a shimmering image straight out of a painting.

Nick washed down the rest of his spaghetti with a sip of wine before dabbing at his muzzle with his napkin. The fox heard Judy giggle at his fancy-pants act. "What's so funny about manners, Carrots?" Nick asked.

"Nothing," Judy said, an innocent smile playing at her lips. "Nothing at all."

Nick shot a suspicious look at Judy, debating on whether or not she was telling the truth. "Are you telling me that my manners are bad, too?"

"No, no, not at all," Judy defended, her small smile widening. "I just didn't imagine that you'd ever dab your muzzle with a napkin; that's almost _too_ fancy for you!"

"There's a first time for everything," Nick said, a smug smile on his face. He almost immediately retrieved the napkin again and wiped his muzzle more thoroughly, much to Judy's amusement. "My muzzle still felt dirty, though," he said after he was finished, noticing Judy's laughter.

"The dabbing doesn't work at all," Judy agreed before finishing off her pasta. After washing it down with a sip of wine, she leaned back in the chair with a content sigh. "That was _amazing_ , Nick. Thank you."

Judy watched as Nick chuckled and rose from his seat. "Don't thank me yet," he said as he entered the apartment. Judy's eyes followed him, curious as to what he had planned next. Her heart began to swell with anticipation as he retrieved the box and last remaining bag from the counter. The bunny could hardly contain her excitement as Nick returned.

"Down, Carrots," Nick ordered playfully as he noticed Judy gently bouncing in her seat. "Patience, remember?"

Judy slumped back into her seat as her ears fell behind her. "Alright," she pouted, her eyes never leaving the box.

Nick chuckled as he reached into the bag. Upon revealing the bag's contents, Nick beamed at the expression on his wife's face: her eyes wide with joyous surprise, her mouth covered by her paws, and her ears folded against the back of her head.

"Nick, they're …" her voice trailed off as she continued to stare in awe. "They're _beautiful._ " And indeed _they_ were. In Nick's paw was a bouquet of lilacs, the petals of the small, purple flowers dancing in the gentle breeze. Said breeze also wafted the aroma towards Judy, the distinct and soothing scent pleasantly tickling Judy's nose. She immediately recognized the scent as the flowery undertone she had smelled earlier.

As he handed the flowers to his bunny, Nick chuckled when Judy buried her face into the bouquet, inhaling deeply. "I thought you might like them," he chirped.

"Like them?" Judy echoed, her amethyst eyes poking out among the lilacs. "I _love_ them! They're going _straight_ into that vase I bought the other day."

"The one that you had bought for no reason other than 'because I can and I like it'?" Nick teased, his pitch rising an octave as he impersonated Judy. The performance earned him a scowl.

"At least it _has_ a use now, Nick," Judy contended before gently placing the flowers on the table. "But again, thank you."

"I'm not quite finished, Carrots," Nick said, smiling as he handed the box to Judy, who then placed the box in her lap. "One last present."

"Nick, you didn't have to get me _all_ this," Judy said, staring at the box with curiosity. She turned to Nick, "Tony's, by itself, is _very_ expensive, but you also got me flowers and bought me wine! That would've been enough."

Nick stepped behind Judy, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and planting a kiss between her ears. "I just like the feeling of being the 'giver' in this relationship," he murmured. "Besides, the more money I spend, the better my presents are than _yours_. I get more bragging rights this way."

This earned him an elbow in the stomach. "You may earn bragging rights, Slick," Judy retorted, a victorious smirk planted on her lips, "but you lose our ability to pay the bills. You don't want to move back to Bucky and Pronk, do you?"

At the mention of their less-than-favorite neighbors, Nick's ears flattened against his head, and a sheepish grin crept over his muzzle. "Alright, I get your point," he said, admitting defeat. "But trust me, you'll like this present."

Judy rolled her eyes before tearing into the unnecessary amount of wrapping paper. Beneath the silver paper and purple ribbon was – _surprise!_ – a cardboard box. Opening the box, Judy's eyes widened again, her heart swelling with happy emotions as she lifted her present out of the box.

It was a new uniform. It had the exact proportions as her original suit _and_ the same material, but there were some key differences. Judy could hardly contain her excitement as she sorted through each piece, handling them carefully as if they would break if looked at the wrong way. The knee pads had carrots engraved on them; the wrist guards, blueberries. Her favorite part, however, was hidden in the collar of the undershirt.

 _To my favorite bunny: You know I love you ~ Your favorite fox_

Judy couldn't even begin to describe the emotions she was feeling, but she knew that they were all because of that _fantastic_ Mr. Fox standing behind her. She hugged the shirt to her body, tears of joy threatening to fall.

"Eh, I don't know," Nick said as he watched Judy's reaction to the message. "I _still_ think the message is too cheesy. They provided that option kinda 'last minute,' so I didn't get a lot of time to think of something better."

Judy chuckled, failing her battle against her happy tears. "I love it, Nick. I really, really love it," she turned and buried her face into his chest. "Thank you."

Nick hugged his bunny closer, placing a tender kiss on the top of her head. "Anything for you, Judy," he cooed as he lovingly stroked her ears.

Judy's ears suddenly perked up, gently swatting Nick in the face. "I nearly forgot," she said as she broke their embrace. "It's my turn to give _you_ something, Nick," she said before entering the apartment. She could hear Nick chuckle behind her as she left the balcony.

A minute later, Nick's ears perked to the sound of the balcony door opening; Judy was back. And in her paws was … well, they were behind her back, so Nick couldn't see what it was. Nick couldn't help but smirk at Judy's excited and smug expression as she purposefully stalled.

"What'cha got there, Carrots?" he asked, playing it cool on the outside; inside, he was _really_ curious as to what she had gotten him.

"Ah ah ah!" Judy scolded, wagging a finger at him. "You made me wait, so it's only fair that I make _you_ wait."

Nick rolled his eyes before taking a seat. After another moment of nothing, Nick raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Just a little bit longer," Judy pleaded, biting her lower lip in amusement. "I like trying to figure out what goes through your head while you wait."

"I'll save you the trouble, Carrots," Nick stated blandly, his expression growing bored. "Why isn't that dumb bunny giving me my present?"

Judy poked her tongue out at her fox, though she did reveal her gift for him. Her heart soared as she saw his ears perk and his eyes widen with happy surprise. The grin on his face said it all, but Nick also chose to express his feelings towards the present verbally.

"I love it," he said as Judy handed him his present. He held it dearly as if it were a newborn kit, much to Judy's amusement. It was a baby blue floral shirt, much like the green one he was currently wearing. Loosely wrapped around the collar was a red tie with a carrot pattern decorating the fabric.

"I know how much you love your floral shirt, so I decided to get you one that _actually_ complemented your fur without clashing to harshly with the rest of your wardrobe. I saw the tie as I went to pay for the shirt, and I _knew_ that you had to have it," Judy said as she clasped her paws behind her back and rocked back and forth on her feet.

Nick looked between the shirt and Judy, his expression of awe only growing with each passing second. After what felt like an eternity, Nick placed the shirt and tie on the table before enveloping Judy in a warm hug, which she gladly reciprocated.

"Thank you, Judy," he said into her shoulder. "Thank you _so_ much."

"Eh, I don't know," Judy replied into his shoulder. "I'm not _entirely_ convinced that you appreciate my gift," she added, a teasing smile on her lips as Nick leaned back to study her expression.

"Really?" Nick asked, a smirk playing on his muzzle as he raised an eyebrow. " _You're_ not convinced?"

Judy shook her head. "Nope!" she stated cheerily. "Not one bit."

Nick caught the challenge in her voice. "Well then, I guess there's only one way to show you my appreciation," he said, leaning in for a kiss. Instead of her lips, he was met with a finger.

"Ah ah ah," she scolded playfully. "We have dishes to clean first. _Then_ you can show me your 'appreciation'."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Fine. As long as you do them with me."

"Darn," Judy teased as they retrieved their dishes from the table. "And here I was hoping I could get a small break from spending time with my favorite fox." She heard Nick chuckle at the overly-obvious tone of sarcasm in her voice as she followed her fox into the apartment.

* * *

"How's it look up there, Richard?" the cunning voice from the radio asked, gently startling the wolf from his thoughts.

Richard turned from the van window, removing the binoculars from around his eyes. "Everything's fine, Victor," he replied, his deep, rich voice drawing out his syllables as if his words were made of molasses. "They just finished dinner and gift exchanging and have now entered their apartment."

"What did he get her?" Victor asked over the radio, sounding happily excited.

"Flowers, dinner, wine, and a new police uniform," Richard listed off.

Victor's chuckle sounded over the radio. "Only the best for his girl," the fox said approvingly. "That's my boy."

A small smile tugged at Richard's muzzle. "He takes after you, Victor," the wolf stated thoughtfully. "Your plan might work after all."

"Of course it will, Richard," Victor said. "There was _never_ any doubt of that!"

Richard shook his head at his boss's brash confidence before turning back to the window, placing the binoculars to his eyes again. From his position in an alley across the street, Richard got a very decent view of the apartment balcony. The smile on his muzzle grew as Richard watched through the glass doors as the fox and rabbit started a splashing war, and the fox was winning. Within moments, the fox and bunny were covered head to toe in suds as they doubled over with laughter.

"It looks like they're about to turn in for the night," Richard said without turning towards the radio. "Do you want me to head back?"

"Yes," Victor replied after a moment of silence. "We'll let them rest; they're going to need it for what I have planned."

* * *

Nick carried Judy into the bedroom, their clothes wet and covered with suds, the repercussions of their splash-fest from earlier. They quickly removed their sopping clothes, neither wishing to get their nice, warm bed wet. Without warning, Nick picked Judy up again before carrying her to the bed and gently laying her on the sheets. He chuckled as his bunny was quickly enveloped by the soft pillows and blankets, her body almost disappearing completely.

"It's not funny, Nick!" Judy's muffled voice came from under the sheets.

"Yes it is, Carrots," Nick said as he stripped off his wet shirt. "Don't deny it."

Judy poked her head out from under the covers, a mock pouting expression on her face. "It's not, Nick," she whined, crossing her arms. "One of these days, this bed is going to eat me, and you won't ever see me again."

"That's when I jump in to join you," Nick retorted as he wiggled his eyebrows. After making sure the blueberry-scented candles sitting on the bedside tables were lit, the fox joined his bunny in the bed. As soon as he hopped in, though, he too was enveloped by the hungry pillows.

"Silly fox," the bunny said as Nick poked his head out from under the sheets.

"Cute bunny," Nick said as he picked himself up and out of the pillowy grave.

Judy smiled at the compliment, having long since allowed Nick the use of the C-word … in private, at least. Nevertheless, she knew that Nick only meant well when he said it, even if he slipped-up on-duty. Her smile grew as Nick pulled her close, his lips meeting hers in a loving kiss.

Judy never got tired of kissing her fox. As a young bunny, the thought of how great a kiss could be never even crossed her mind as she worked hard to accomplish her goal of making the world a better place. Ever since she and Nick had started dating, however, it began to cross her mind regularly. Her curiosity was stronger because of Nick being a fox. Would she enjoy it? Would _he_ enjoy it? Her first kiss, however, had laid to rest all of those doubts and worries; it was the most enjoyable experience she ever had – at that time, at least.

A playful growl emanating from his throat, Nick surprised his bunny – who gave a shocked squeak – as he suddenly flipped himself around; Judy was now pinned beneath the warm body of her fox. Nick smirked at his bunny, his eyes filled to the brim with one emotion: love.

Judy blushed under his gaze, staring back into those jade-colored eyes. They shone and shimmered as if they were living, breathing, beautiful things, crying out the confessions of love from the fox they belonged to. Judy found herself becoming lost in those shining seas before her eyes suddenly widened and laughter erupted from her mouth.

"Nick!" she barely managed to gasp as laughter racked her body.

"What?" Nick asked innocently as his paws crawled over Judy's body.

"G-Give me some warning n-next time!" she managed to say as she squirmed under her husband's touch. "You don't w-want to end up on the floor l-like last ti-hi-hime!" her voice trailed off into laughter.

Nick's ears flattened as images from about two weeks ago resurfaced in his mind. He had played the same trick on her, but he hadn't had her legs pinned underneath him. His reward? A swift kick to the stomach, a three-second airtime, and some carpet in his face.

"Don't worry, Carrots," Nick joked, his paw grazing her belly; Judy curled up in defense, ultimately trapping Nick's paw and allowing the fox to continue tickling her. "I'll be careful," he began to chuckle as Judy's laughter infected him. The sound could brighten Nick's day no matter what, and it reminded him of how much he loved her.

In his many years as a confox, the only person who could say that they actually loved Nick was his mother, and he had successfully pushed her away and out of his life. And while he didn't make it a habit of chasing after every female he saw, the few he _did_ manage to "date" had always ended up hurting him or being hurt by him. His past wasn't something he was proud of, but thanks to Judy, Nick had been able to make amends with his mother and those who had hurt or been hurt by him.

"N-Nick, stop!" Judy laughed breathlessly. "I c-can't breathe!"

"All part of my maniacal plan!" Nick teased, though he did let up on his tickling a bit. Unfortunately for him, this allowed Judy to land a punch on his shoulder. It wasn't a hard punch, but Nick decided to add a heap of drama to the action.

"Ow, Carrots!" Nick whined, rubbing his shoulder with his free paw. "I have got to teach you something better than that punch of yours; it's such a _cop_ -out!"

The silence that ensued was deafening. Nick lay there, a smug grin on his face that clearly stated that he was proud of himself for that pun. Judy lay underneath him, the scowl on her face and her crossed arms clearly stating that she was none too pleased with the little joke.

"You've now hit a new low in your humor, Nick," she stated blandly, staring at her fox with a bored expression on her face.

"Oh come on, that was a _great_ joke!" Nick gleefully stated, his smile widening.

Soon enough, his smile infected Judy, the corners of her mouth tugging upward. She sighed as she gave in to her husband's cheery attitude. "Dumb fox," she cooed, gently running her fingers through the fur on the back of his neck.

"You know you love me," he teased as he placed a kiss on her nose, which twitched in response.

"I may need a reminder, Slick," Judy challenged playfully, placing her own kiss on his snout.

Nick chuckled playfully, both of his paws now wrapping around his bunny. "Is that so?" he asked, a mischievous gleam touching his eyes.

"Of course," Judy stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I _am_ just a dumb bunny, after all."

"You're _my_ dumb bunny," Nick murmured lovingly before cupping Judy's cheek and pulling her in for a passionate kiss. A warm sensation surged through his body as Judy gently raked her nails through the fur where his ear met his head. Nick's leg suddenly seemed to have a mind of its own, the muscles twitching in response to Judy's petting. His bushy tail swished and swayed happily, conveying Nick's thoughts for him.

Judy gently broke the kiss as her ears picked up the sound of his wagging tail. Her amusement only grew as Nick began to happily pant thanks to Judy's petting, his tongue lolling to the side. "Does someone like being scratched behind the ears?" she asked playfully.

All Nick could produce as a response was a pleased whimper, causing Judy to chuckle again. The only coherent thought that could find a place in Nick's mind at that moment – besides how great he was feeling thanks to Judy's scratching – was how much he loved his bunny. She was the _only_ mammal that had ever gotten to him and changed him for the better. She believed in him, trusted him, and _loved_ him.

Nick's mind began to grow fuzzy as Judy's nails gently raked through his fur. "J-Judy please," he whined, his words somewhat slurred. "I-I can't take anymore!"

"You sure?" she asked with an amused tone, taking note of Nick's lolling tongue, rolled-back eyes, and happy pants. "You seem to be enjoying this."

Nick whined again, a high-pitched sound that pulled at Judy's heartstrings. "I am, Judy!" he gasped, the coherent words barely forming. "Th- _that's_ why I can't t-take it anymore!" Nick's body nearly went limp, all of his muscles choosing to relax at the exact same moment.

"Alright, alright," Judy laughed, suddenly crushed by Nick's weight. She stopped her scratching, leaving a panting fox in her wake. Judy felt Nick's weight slowly and carefully lift off of her body. She watched with an amused look as Nick shook his head to regain his senses.

"Sweet cheese and crackers, Judy!" he exclaimed after a few moments. "That was almost _too_ good! We need to talk about appropriate lengths of petting time; I kind of need my brain intact."

"We wouldn't want _that_ , now would _we_?" Judy asked playfully as she gently stroked Nick's muzzle. "But let's talk later; we've got something more _important_ to deal with right now."

Nick chuckled before leaning in a tenderly kissing Judy. "I agree," he murmured, gently nuzzling her neck. He felt Judy's arms tighten around his neck in an affectionate hug, which he gladly reciprocated before being pulled beneath the covers by his wonderful bunny.

* * *

Among a sea of white sheets and soft pillows lay a fox and bunny in a warm embrace. They dared not move as they shared in the afterglow of their love and passion. Warm candles filled the air with the scent of blueberries, the aroma pleasing to both mammals.

"Am I forgiven for covering you in suds?" Nick asked quietly, a faint smirk playing on his muzzle as he gently stroked his bunny's ears.

"Mmm, I'm still thinking," Judy happily slurred, her half-lidded eyes meeting Nick's. "Though a kiss from a particular, _handsome_ fox might help me decide."

Nick chuckled softly; Judy felt the sound's faint vibration in Nick's chest. "Mrs. Wilde, are you insinuating that I _bribe_ you?" the fox asked playfully. "I'll have you know that I'm an _honest_ cop now!"

It was Judy's turn to chuckle, a musical sound that tickled Nick's ears. "I am not insinuating _anything_ , Mr. Wilde," Judy retorted, her tone matching Nick's. "I'm _merely_ suggesting that my husband should kiss me! Is that so bad to ask of such an _honest_ cop?"

Nick chuckled at the tone of sarcasm in his wife's voice before lowering his head, his lips meeting Judy's. They parted after a few timeless moments, satisfied smile on both of their muzzles.

"Thank you for such a great anniversary, Nick," Judy said as her paws made their way around Nick's neck.

Nick reciprocated by pulling Judy closer to him. "Anything for you, Judy," he replied before placing a kiss on Judy's forehead. The fox felt a happy shiver run through his body as Judy began gently stroking her nails through his fur. She was enthralled with the texture of it: coarse, rough hairs hiding a soft undercoat. It reminded Judy of how Nick was when she first met him; now, however, Nick showed his soft side on a more regular basis.

As she happily snuggled against her fox, a rather dreary thought suddenly entered Judy's mind. She vocalized this thought with a disappointed sigh.

"What's the matter, Judy?" Nick asked, curious as to his bunny's sudden change in mood.

"We have work in the morning," Judy complained as she buried her face into Nick's chest, her words muffling slightly. "Why can't we just stay home tomorrow?"

Nick's eyebrows raised in shock. "Judy!" he gasped. "How could you say that!?"

"What?" Judy asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "It's normal for mammals to not want to go to work."

"Yes, but coming from you, it's _sacrilege!_ " Nick exclaimed incredulously. "Besides, we've already used up most of our vacation hours when we visited your parents last month. Giving us the day off was the best that Bogo could do."

"I know," Judy sighed. "I just don't want this to end."

Nick's features softened as he planted a kiss between Judy's ears. "Me neither, Judy," he agreed. "Me neither."

 **Didn't I tell you? Ultra-fluffy chapter. Let me know what you thought and if I need to foot your bill for the dentist; I'm sure you guys have plenty of cavities after reading all that fluff.** **In regards to the title, today is no special anniversary of anything; it's just a title that I chose for the chapter and nothing more.**

 **Also, in regards to Richard and Victor: I imagine Alan Rickman's voice for Richard and Willem Defoe's voice for Victor. In nerd terms: Professor Snape from Harry Potter plays Richard; Gill from Finding Nemo plays Victor.**

 **I started a video series where I read your reviews! You can check it out on YouTube (just search Blenderguy15 and look for my avatar). I'll be making these videos every week as well, so stay tuned for those!**


	4. A New Case?

**Man, the response to the last chapter was even better than I expected! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it! I also hope you guys are ready, for the story really starts rolling from here!**

Being a fox, Nick wouldn't have considered himself a "morning" mammal. He would sleep til noon and stay awake deep into the night. Living with a bunny, however, had drastically changed that. Sure, Nick still enjoyed the days that he could sleep in, but he no longer minded waking up at 5:30 in the morning; in fact, he rather liked it. Waking up early meant he got to spend even more time with his wife.

Nick's eyes slowly fluttered open as he gave a quiet yawn, the last bits of sleep leaving his system. With a warm smile, he looked to the dozing bunny in his arms. Nick was surprised; he hardly ever woke up before Judy. The moment, however, was always short-lived.

Judy woke with a yawn and a stretch, a small sound escaping her throat. As she relaxed, her gaze rested upon her husband. Her lips split into a loving smile as she huddled herself closer to Nick, causing the fox to chuckle.

"Someone seems to be in a good mood," Nick teased before placing a kiss on the bunny's forehead.

"Well, when you have such a wonderful husband, it's hard not to be," Judy retorted as she absentmindedly played with the fur on the fox's chest.

"Guilty as charged," Nick _humbly_ said. "I take it that last night was to your liking?"

Judy gave a pleased hum before replying, "It was amazing, Nick."

"Just _amazing,_ Carrots?" Nick asked with a somewhat skeptic tone. "I was hoping I had done better than _that_."

"No, just amazing," Judy stated, a smug smile playing on her lips. "But don't worry; you'll have _plenty_ more chances for the _perfect_ anniversary."

"Well then, you had better prepare yourself, Carrots! Because you'll only get the _best_ anniversaries from now on!" Nick said with a triumphant tone.

Judy rolled her eyes before glancing at the alarm clock. Her mood soured _just_ a little bit. "Ugh. Work," she groaned, burying her face in Nick's chest as if doing so would hide her from the realities of the world.

"I know, Carrots," Nick cooed, gently stroking Judy's ears. "But look on the bright side: you still get to spend the day with me!"

 _You walked right into this one, Nick_ , Judy thought before replying, " _That's_ what I'm worried about, Slick!"

 _Nicely done, Carrots,_ Nick thought, proud of his bunny. He then gave a mock gasp of pain. "Ouch, Carrots, that one hurt. Could you hand me some ice to apply to that burn?"

Judy chuckled. "How about I kiss it. Will _that_ make it feel better?"

Very _nicely done, Carrots,_ Nick thought as his smile widened. "Of course," he replied before gently tilting Judy's head up and leaning in for a rather passionate kiss.

Because of their time limitations, however, they reluctantly broke said kiss earlier than either would have liked. Nick and Judy began to crawl out of bed with the same amount of reluctance.

The process of getting ready, however, was swift and precise like clockwork. The fox and bunny wasted no time in showering before dressing in their uniforms; Judy happily opted to wear her new uniform and Nick decided to wear his new tie. In less than fifteen minutes, the cop duo was out the door and heading for their car.

"What do you think Bogo will have us do today?" Judy asked as she climbed into the passenger-side seat.

Nick started the ignition and pulled the car out of the parking lot before answering, "I'm not sure, Carrots," he said as he placed his sunglasses upon his snout. "Though, I don't think he'll give us a new case just _yet._ Probably something stress-free, like handling papers."

"I guess you're right," Judy said as she gazed out the window, watching the streets of Zootopia go by. "But, you know, part of me kinda wants a new case. Ever since Hunter, we haven't gotten anything really," she paused as she tried to find the right word, " _big_ or _exciting_."

"I know what you mean, Carrots," Nick chuckled as he glanced sideways at his partner. "Chasing down petty thieves gets boring after a while. I'd be careful about what you wish for, though; I don't think either of us wants another 'Hunter Incident,' now do we?"

"Not one bit," Judy immediately replied as terrifying images of the deranged snow leopard flashed through her mind. She quickly shoved these thoughts away before continuing, "I just want another _big_ case. You know, us against seemingly impossible odds; something like our first case, but without the savage animals."

Nick chuckled. "Well, if _that's_ what you have in mind, then I'm looking forward to those papers," he teased. "I don't know if I'm ready to deal with a patronizing bunny again."

"Oh come on, Nick! You know you're glad that I was so pushy back then!" Judy said, an accusatory smile on her face.

"Right, but that was in the past; I don't like it when you're pushy _now_ ," he said before momentarily turning his head to the bunny and poking his tongue out at her.

Judy returned the action, though a warm smile remained on her face. "I can't help but be pushy, Nick," she began. "With how you act, it's the only way I can actually get to you."

"Touche," Nick agreed as they pulled into the ZPD Headquarters parking lot. They quickly found their usual spot before climbing out of the white convertible. Always the gentlemammal, Nick led Judy up the front steps and held the door open for the bunny.

"Hey guys!" Clawhauser exclaimed from the front desk. "How was the anniversary?"

Judy's smiled brightened as she hopped towards the cheerful cheetah. "It was wonderful! You notice anything _new_ about me?" she asked, hardly able to contain her giggling as she spun around for the cheetah.

It took a moment – allowing Nick to finally catch up to the bunny – before Clawhauser noticed the engraved food items on the uniform. Nick braced his ears for the inevitable squeal of excitement that would soon emanate from the cheetah.

Clawhauser's paws went to his muzzle as his smile grew wide and the ' _squee_ ' of excitement that Nick had predicted escaped his lips. "That's _awesome_ , Judy!" the cheetah said, happily bouncing in his seat. "Nick got you _that?_ It looks great on you!"

Judy giggled happily as Nick wrapped an arm around her. "Yep! It was just _one_ of the gifts he got me; he also got me flowers, and dinner, and wine," she listed, a broad smile on her muzzle.

Nick realized that she _liked_ showing off how great he was. The fact made the fox both proud and rather unsettled; he wasn't one hundred percent sure how he should _really_ feel about it, placing his emotions in a rather awkward mood.

Turning to the fox, Clawhauser asked, "What did she get you, Nick?"

"Well, knowing that I already had _everything_ I could ever have wanted," Nick emphasized his point by gently tussling Judy's ears, much to the bunny's amused chagrin, "she got me a new floral shirt and tie. I can't wear the shirt to work, so I decided that the tie would do just as well."

Clawhauser then took a moment to study the red tie around the fox's neck. Upon noticing the carrot pattern, another squeal of delight emanated from the cheetah. "Oh that _awesome!_ " he exclaimed, his happy bouncing resuming. "You guys must've had, like, the _best_ night ever!"

Judy paused a moment, bringing her paw up to her chin in mock thought. "Eh, I _guess_ it was the best night ever," she said after a brief moment. She turned to Nick. "What do you think?"

It was times like these that Nick wanted to express his love to the bunny with a somewhat cheesy line along the lines of, "I think I made the right choice." Times were he wanted Judy to understand the depths of his feelings for her. While Judy did know, it still felt nice to express his feelings verbally.

However, Nick couldn't do so without ruining his and Judy's reputations among the ZPD. If something sappy escaped his or Judy's lips, it was considered free game for the other officers. So, of course, Nick resorted to teasing his partner.

"I don't know, Carrots," the fox said, putting a paw up to his chin in thought. "I'm pretty sure there are some other candidates for that position."

"Oh yeah?" Judy challenged, placing her paws on her hips. "Like what?"

"I don't know," Nick replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. "I just know there are."

Judy rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to make a retort, though she was interrupted by Clawhauser, who at this point, was starting to melt into a pile of happy cat.

"Aw, you guys are just _too cu-_ " the cheetah quickly stopped himself before taking a different, _safer_ route, " _perfect_ together," he finished; he didn't want to make Judy feel uncomfortable.

"Anyway, we gotta head to briefing," Nick said as he gently led Judy along. "It was nice talking to you, Ben!" The fox waved behind him.

"See ya!" the cheetah waved back before hearing his phone vibrate. Turning to the small device, he read the text.

 **Bogo:** _Have they arrived yet?_

 **Clawhauser:** _Yeah, they just left for briefing._

 **Bogo:** _And?_

 **Clawhauser:** _Does everything about those two need to be a bet?_

 **Bogo:** _I don't like it any more than you do, Clawhauser. However, it does help boost morale around here, and I know there will be a few anxious officers that may try to patronize Officers Wilde and Hopps._

 **Clawhauser:** _You do have a point. It was so cute, though! Judy got Nick a new shirt and tie – he was just wearing the tie – and Nick got Judy a whole new uniform! He_ totally _spoiled her!_

 **Bogo:** _Having been victimized to their antics, I'm not surprised. Alright, thank you Clawhauser._

 **Clawhauser:** _Np!_

With that, the cheetah pocketed his phone and dug into a bowl of Lucky Chomps cereal, happily humming a Gazelle song.

* * *

"Hey, congrats you two!" this was said by about half of the officers in the briefing room.

"Here's hoping for _many_ more!" this was said by the other half of officers.

"You guys managed to get up early after such an important night? What happened? Was Nick not up for it?" this was given with a wink and a not-so-gentle nudge to the fox.

The fox and bunny walked to their seat at the front of the room, both uncomfortable and flattered by the well-wishers and the congratulations that were given. Nick jumped onto the chair first before turning and holding out a paw for Judy, who gladly accepted the help.

No sooner had the two gotten comfortable when Officer Higgins shouted, "Atten-hut!" and the Chief of the Zootopia Police Force entered the room. The room filled with the hooting of the multiple officers, Nick and Judy included.

"Alright, alright. Shut it!" Bogo said as he stepped up to the podium. "Have a seat." Every officer, except the too-small Nick and Judy, did so.

"I have good news, and I have bad news," the cape buffalo began, his solemn gaze traveling over every officer in the room. He inhaled deeply before continuing, "I'll start with the bad news. Officers Higgins, Snarlov, and Grizzoli," he paused, allowing the tension to sink in. "You and several of your fellow officers will be receiving a one-time deduction of twenty dollars."

The collective groan was cut off by Bogo's hoof before the chief continued, "And that brings me to the good news: Officers Delgato, Trunkaby, McHorn, and Fangmeyer, you and several other officers will be receiving a one-time _raise_ of twenty dollars." The cheers were cut off as well.

Nick and Judy glanced around in confusion, though by this time, they've come to expect this kind of behavior from their fellow officers. If it got too annoying, the two would just make a plan to mess around with the different bets placed between officers; it was one of Nick and Judy's favorite pastimes at work.

"Now that we've gotten _that_ out of the way," Bogo said, keeping his officers' attention on him. "I'll start on our _actual_ work." The buffalo opened one of the red folders in his hooves and retrieved a rather large photograph. He then turned and tacked said photograph to the cork board behind him.

Nick and Judy's eyes simultaneously widened at the photo. At first glance, one would have mistaken the fox in the picture for Nick taking a stroll through City Center – as many of the officers actually did, causing many in the room to do a double-take – but upon closer inspection, one would see that this wasn't the case. The fox was dressed casually in a brown business suit, the blue tie _just_ loose enough. While the quality of the photo was not particularly the best, one could make out strands of gray among the red fur, _especially_ in the tail. The most disturbing aspect of the picture, however, was the eyes.

Emerald green stared directly at the hidden photographer, a sharp cunning hidden behind a smug smile. Nick felt unease settle into his stomach; it was like looking into the future. For Judy, she felt a strange sense of discomfort; she was staring at what looked like her Nick, but the kindness she had come to expect from that expression was completely absent. Judy shuffled a little closer to her partner.

Bogo turned back to the group. "This is Victor Wilde. Just recently, he has made his existence known to the public, though I doubt it he intends to ride on the coattails of fame from our well-known cop duo. As far as we are aware, Victor has taken every opportunity to flaunt his criminal past in the face of the public _and_ the authorities, though he never gives enough to actually arrest him for anything.

"Now, before any of you say anything about how dumb this fox is, let me remind you of our very own fox officer," Bogo gestured to Nick, who suddenly seemed very uncomfortable being in the spotlight. "Officer Wilde used to be a small-time confox; simply hustling ice cream shops into selling him their product so that he could turn around and sell it himself. While not many know this about Officer Wilde, many in the public already dislike him because of his species."

Bogo pointed at the photograph behind him again. "With the publicity that Victor Wilde is getting, it isn't taking much to make the connection between him and Officer Wilde. I have received letters and phone calls asking to remove Officer Wilde from the force; some were more _aggressive_ than others.

"While there is no threat of my actually removing Officer Wilde from the force, I believe Victor is getting what he wants: a city turned against its heroes. Because of this, we need to be very careful with how we go about dealing with this fox, or we risk tearing the city in two. _This_ ," Bogo held the folder up, "is Priority One."

"Now, we know that Victor Wilde is very cunning. If he weren't, then all of this publicity would easily get him arrested. So, keeping that in mind, I'm taking the necessary precautions. You'll be split up into small teams, and each team will alternate taking care of different aspects of the case.

"Assignments: Officers Fangmeyer and Delgato, you'll be studying everything we already know about Victor; see if you can find anything of use. Officers Snarlov and Grizzoli, you'll be reconnaissance; see if Victor has any regular haunts or routines. Officers Higgins and Trunkaby, I want you to look into some of the recent crimes; try to find anything that we can use to finally arrest this guy."

As Bogo listed off the assignments, each officer rose from their seat and retrieved the file from the buffalo. Soon, only Nick and Judy sat in the room, waiting anxiously for their assignments.

Bogo glanced up from the folders at the two cops before giving a long, drawn-out sigh. He mentally braced himself for the inevitable argument that was to come.

"Officers Hopps and Wilde, you two will be on desk duty. Dismissed."

"But sir," Judy began with an inquisitive tone. "Wouldn't it be helpful to have us on the case? With the apparent relation between Nick and Victor, we could be very useful assets."

Bogo was somewhat surprised; he had expected a full-blown argument from the bunny stating that they should be put on the case.

"That you would be, Hopps," the cape buffalo began, happy that the two cops weren't out to give him a migraine. "Like I said, though, I will be taking the necessary precautions since we are all treading on thin ice as it is. I don't want to take any chances with the negative publicity you and Officer Wilde are getting at the moment. There's no knowing how the public would take putting you on the case, but I'm sure that it wouldn't be good. Of course, keeping you off the case could be just as bad, but at least you have a trustworthy alibi, so to speak."

"So, in simpler words," Nick spoke up, "keeping us here is easier for the moment. At least, until you're further along in the case."

Bogo nodded. "Exactly, Wilde. I understand you may have some emotional attachment to your father, but this is for the best."

"We understand, sir," Judy said after glancing to her partner.

"Good," Bogo said, though he was skeptical of his two officers; they've had a tendency to take things into their own paws sometimes. "Now, I don't want to see you two again unless it's in your office or you're heading home for the day."

Nick and Judy nodded before leaving the briefing room. Once the doors shut behind them, Bogo let out a relieved and exasperated sigh. He was very thankful for the lack of arguing, but he couldn't help but feel that quite a few migraines were heading his way.

* * *

The two cops traversed the large foyer in silence, both of their minds simultaneously and individually processing recent information. They hardly acknowledged Clawhauser, though the cheetah was busy delving into the latest bit of Gazelle gossip on his phone. Before long, both mammals found themselves behind the closed doors of their small office.

Nick almost immediately took his seat and delved into the stack of reports on his desk. Judy, on the other hand, sat at her desk and blankly stared at the paper in front of her; too many thoughts were rushing through her mind for her to focus on the simple task of filing reports.

For the next ten minutes, neither mammal talked. Judy's ears picked up the constant _scratching_ of pen on paper, though she did not register it. For whatever reason, Judy couldn't stop thinking about Victor Wilde.

What was he like? Did he and Nick ever get along? Is his apparent connection to the crimes existing only because of him being a fox? These questions and more rushed through Judy's head, and it was all she could do to not get swept up in them.

"Hey Carrots, it's just a stack of paper," Nick teased, having finished his portion of the work. "Nothing to be afraid of."

Shaking her head, Judy escaped her stupor and acknowledged her partner. "Looks aren't everything, Slick," she retorted, her wit having been sharpened over the years she had spent with Nick. "Who knows what this stack of paper could be hiding! I'll stay on the side of caution, thank you very much."

Nick chuckled, though the action didn't reach his eyes. "Sure, Carrots. A _stack of paper_ is hiding its dangerous side."

"You never know," Judy stated, playfully crossing her arms over her chest. " _You_ hid your caring side very well."

"That's because I didn't have someone to show it to," Nick said, tussling Judy's ears. His tone became very solemn, though, as he continued, "Look, I can see that something's bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Judy's smiled slowly faltered as her millions of thoughts from before suddenly and forcefully returned. She sighed. "Yes, but do _you_ want to? Because I have a feeling that you know what's eating at me."

Nick sighed and rubbed his snout, though he didn't seem exasperated – just _tired_. "Honestly, it's not something that I'm _against_ talking about," he began as he turned his gaze back to Judy. "It's also not a part of my past that I regret."

"I don't remember a lot of my dad since he left soon after I was born. But whenever I asked my mom about him, she never talked about him with anger or hate; in fact, she seemed sad more than anything. She didn't know why he left either – if she did, she didn't tell me – but we never talked about him like he was _bad_ ; we made sure to keep the good memories alive.

"Seeing him in that photo today, part of me felt _betrayed_. Everything that Mom and I had said or believed about him was suddenly wrong. The other part of me, however, actually felt excited. I could finally get a chance to meet my father. Maybe we could even help him change, and I could have a full family again," Nick paused a moment, taking a breath and allowing Judy to say anything if she wanted.

"Well, knowing how hard it was to change _you_ , it could take a while for Victor," Judy began, a teasing smile on her lips, "but it wouldn't be impossible. Besides, you're his son; you'd have a better chance of him listening to you than if, say, Bogo tried to convince him to change."

"You got that right," Nick agreed with a snicker. "Though, even then, I'm sure Bogo would still be able to get to my father somehow; you and I both know how intimidating that buffalo can be."

Judy nodded in affirmation, brief flashbacks of her many "talks" with the chief rushing through her mind. Suddenly, another thought popped into the bunny's mind.

"So, are we going to start our own investigation, then?" she asked, her tone somewhat hopeful.

Nick sighed as he brought a paw up to his chin. "I'm not sure. I respect the chief's decision in keeping us off the case, and I don't think that we should do anything reckless as of yet; we don't want to hurt our publicity more than it already is," Judy nodded in agreement. "But we can _definitely_ help the case along. For one, _I_ have some info on my dad that may help. If that isn't enough, then we can always ask my mother."

"That's a good idea," Judy said, the wheels in her head already turning. "It would probably be best if we talk with her soon. You know, before the other officers interrogate her."

Nick nodded. "That would be smart. While I trust the other officers, they can be a bit," he paused, searching for the right word, " _intimidating_ at times."

"How about after work?" Judy suggested. "We could stop by when we leave."

"As great as that idea is, _you_ still have a mountain of paperwork to get through," he teased, gesturing to the stack of reports on Judy's desk. "With how _slow_ you work, I'm sure that we'll be here well into the night."

Judy scoffed. "Oh yeah! I'll prove you wrong!" With that, she turned around and immediately dove into the dozens of reports. Her paws were a blur as they quickly and accurately signed off and filed away each and every piece of paper.

Nick smiled triumphantly and leaned back in his chair. _You've still got it, Nick,_ he thought, mentally patting himself on the back. _Still got it._

* * *

"I'm coming!" a voice sounded from behind the oak door. Nick and Judy stood on the front porch of Rachel Wilde's home; it was the same house that Nick had grown up in.

Mrs. Wilde lived in the Meadowlands, which held most of Zootopia's suburbs and less-crowded housing districts. While the majority of mammals living in this district were prey, one could still find a predator or two living peacefully among the grassy fields and flowery acres. The fresh air was always a welcome difference from City Center and the more crowded areas of Zootopia.

After a moment, the door opened, revealing Nick's mother. At first glance, one would believe the vixen to be quite young; her coat was well-kept and graciously hid the few strands of gray fur that told of Rachel's true age. The sky-blue sundress that she wore hugged her body comfortably and flowed with every movement, adding a sense of fluidity to the vixen. As if that wasn't enough, Rachel's eyes were a tell-tale sign of how young the vixen actually felt. Brilliant auburn happily sparkled in the sunlight, revealing the kind and loving nature of Nick's mother.

Rachel's already-happy expression grew even happier upon seeing who her visitors were. "Nick! Judy! Oh, what a pleasant surprise!" she quickly enveloped both mammals in a warm hug. "Please, come inside."

Already, Nick and Judy's moods were brightened by the warm welcome, and with smiling faces, they quickly followed Mrs. Wilde into her home. It was just like Nick remembered it: the floral wallpaper that matched his shirt; the dozens of family picture lining the halls of the entryway; the smell of something warm and delicious cooking on the stove. Nick was immediately thrown back into his childhood before the incident with the Junior Ranger Scouts. His many happy days living here, playing with his friends outside and going on many adventures; these were the memories Nick vowed to _never_ forget.

Rachel led the two cops into the living room and promptly sat them on the couch before heading off to the kitchen to retrieve refreshments. "What would you like to drink?" she asked. "Coffee? Tea? Water?"

"Coffee would be great," Nick called back.

"I'll have some coffee too!" Judy answered; she had heard Nick talk many times of how great Mrs. Wilde's coffee was.

"Coffee coming right up!" Rachel jubilantly stated. After a few minutes, all three mammals sat in the living room, coffee cups in paw while a small bowl of various fruits sat on the coffee table.

"So," Rachel said, temporarily setting her cup on the table. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Nick and Judy followed suit, placing their cups on the table as well. "Well," Nick began, carefully choosing his words. "We actually wanted to ask you a few questions. You see, Judy and I got this new case, and we were wondering if you could help us."

Rachel laughed, a bright, musical sound that would bring a smile to any mammal's face. "Of course, Nick!" she said, her smile broad and happy. "I'd _love_ to help you solve a case, though I'm not sure how much help I can be. What is it you would like to know?"

Nick took a deep breath, carefully and quickly plotting out the different paths this conversation could go; most were less desirable than others. "Well," Nick started again, glancing to Judy for support. The bunny nodded reassuringly before taking Nick's paw and squeezing it gently. "I'd like to know more about what Dad was like – before he left."

Rachel's smile faltered for a split second, and when it returned, it was no longer a happy smile. The vixen's eyes faded slightly, filling with a deep sadness. "So, he's actually come back?"

Slightly taken aback by the unexpected question, Nick stammered, "W-well, yes, in a way."

"I've read the papers, but I wasn't sure if it was really my Victor that they were talking about," Rachel said as she gently grasped one of Nick's paws. "Have you two been tasked with bringing him in?"

Nick paused, again trying to find the right words to say. "Well, no, not _technically_. The chief is keeping Judy and me off the case for a bit; he doesn't want any more bad publicity."

Rachel nodded. "I understand his reasoning; many in this city are eager to rebuke those that they don't like, or those that are _different_. But why are you here, asking me these questions? Shouldn't one of the officers on the case be interrogating me?"

"That's the thing, Mrs. Wilde," Judy stepped in, her tone soft and kind. "If we asked you first, then you would at least be prepared when one of the officers comes knocking on your door. And besides, it felt _right_ that Nick and I were the ones to come to you first, seeing as Nick is closely related to Victor."

Again, Rachel nodded. "I see," she said, and her smile brightened some. "I'm glad that you two are looking out for me."

"And why wouldn't we?" Nick teased, his smile widening. "I wouldn't forgive Bogo if he gave you a heart-attack with a sudden visit from an enormous rhino or polar bear."

"You know perfectly well that I am in excellent health, Nicholas," Rachel teased back, a knowing smirk on her muzzle. "You just want to prove that you're smarter by saying that you came up with the idea to visit me first, right?"

Nick immediately took to the defensive; it didn't help that Judy began to snicker beside him. "It's not like that, Mom! I genuinely care about you, and I only want to make sure that you're okay! Is that suddenly _not_ normal for a son to do?"

"Oh hush, dear. You're just digging your own grave deeper and deeper. Now, about Victor," Rachel took a deep breath and paused before turning to Nick. "Where do you want me to start?"

"How about this?" Nick said as he pulled out his own carrot pen – a birthday gift from Judy – and notepad. "Judy and I will each ask you a question, and all you have to do is answer as best you can. There is no need to go into detail if you don't want to."

Rachel gave an appreciative nod. "Alright then. Ask away."

"What was Dad's job?" Nick asked, deciding to start with something easy.

"He was a tailor," Rachel began. "Probably the best in Zootopia at the time. He didn't discriminate against his customers, either; he always fairly priced his products, even if his custom-made projects."

As Nick wrote down the information, Judy cleared her throat and asked her question, "Is he still a tailor, or did something happen that caused him to leave that line of work?"

Rachel sighed sadly. "You see, Zootopia was a _much_ different city then compared to _now_. Times were especially hard on predators, and prejudice was rather strong. Sure, many mammals – predator and prey included – respected Victor, but that didn't stop the unfair bias against him. Before long, he was forced shut his shop down."

"Did he ever find another line of work?" Nick asked as Judy wrote down the information in her own notepad.

"Well, in a way, yes. Being a fox, hardly anyone hired him for a decent job and good pay; anytime he _was_ hired, it was for very basic grunt work with _below_ minimum wage. No matter how hard he tried, his hard work was rarely rewarded. Eventually, he began … looking _outside_ of Zootopia for work."

Both Nick and Judy could see the half-lie, but they chose not to push forward – not yet, at least. "Do you know what he managed to find in terms of work?" Judy asked.

"He rarely spoke of it with me," Rachel replied. "I think that part of him was ashamed of it."

"Why?" Nick asked.

"Being the kind fox that he was, he disliked 'shady' jobs and untrustworthy deals. However, he was forced to take one such deal up so that he could pay the bills. This job called him away a lot of the time, leaving me alone at home. When he came home late at night, he was worked to the bone. Eventually, he decided that it would be best – at least for a while – if he moved closer to his work; he could replenish his energy and save up some income. As you already know, Nick, he never came back. At least, not until now."

A silence fell upon the room as Rachel's words sank in. Rachel studied her son as the seconds ticked by. She could see the internal conflict raging behind his green eyes as he struggled to fully understand his father's motives. Upon glancing to the rabbit, Rachel noticed that Judy was gazing at her partner with concern, ready to comfort him if needed. The sight brought a smile to the vixen's muzzle; Nick had chosen well.

"Look, Nick," Rachel finally broke the silence. "I understand that you may be angry with your father. His actions certainly haven't seemed up to the moral standards that I've led you to believe that he has. But trust me when I say this: He _is_ a good mammal. He was kind when others weren't, and he forgave when others didn't. Right now, I believe that Victor is just confused, much like you were. All he needs is a little love to keep him in check." Rachel winked at the two cops and smiled brightly.

Nick sighed before a smile broke out on his muzzle. "Well, I'd know how much a little love can do, wouldn't I?" he asked, gently squeezing Judy's paw. He turned back to his mother and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, son," Rachel said before rising from her seat. When Nick and Judy did the same, she quickly enveloped the younger fox in a warm hug. "You know, Victor would be _very_ proud of you."

"You think so?" Nick asked as they broke the hug. "I mean, I'm not one to brag," Judy scoffed behind him, "but I feel like I've done quite a bit with my life."

"Calm down, Slick," Judy retorted sarcastically. "You don't want to drown in your overabundance of _modesty_ , now do you?"

"She's right, you know," Rachel added with a smug smirk.

Nick looked between his wife and his mother, his eyes widening with mock fear. "I've made a terrible mistake!" he cried dramatically. "I've brought the only two minds that can fight back against my wit together in one room!"

While Nick pretended to be petrified by the apparent atrocity he had created, Judy and Rachel shared a good laugh. When that died down, Nick and Judy prepared to leave.

"Wouldn't you like to stay for dinner?" Rachel asked. "I just so happened to make your favorite, Nick: my special boiled crayfish and blueberry salad."

"You had me at 'dinner'," Nick said, the aromas wafting from the kitchen now strong enough to make his stomach grumble. "That is," he quickly turned to his wife, "if _you_ would like to stay."

"Of course!" Judy exclaimed. "After hearing so much about your cooking – no thanks to Nick, here," she gently poked Nick's side, "I just _can't_ pass up the opportunity to try some myself."

"Wonderful!" Rachel exclaimed before leading them to the dining room. "I'll get the extra plates."

"No, Mom," Nick said. " _I_ will. You focus on dinner."

Rachel smiled as the younger fox left the room for the kitchen, quickly retrieving the needed cutlery and dinnerware. "Oh Nick," she said more to herself, her tone an odd mixture of a happy sadness, "you're _so_ much like your father."

 **And there! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! If you noticed, I'm breaking away from a lot of the cliches that have come from the Zootopia fandom; this gives me the chance to try new things and create something** _ **really**_ **original! You guys really are in for a treat with this story!**


	5. Sweet Pawpsicles, Dark Schemes

"Dinner was fantastic!" Judy chirped, setting her empty bowl aside. She was _very_ glad that Nick wasn't lying about his mother's cooking; the blueberry salad Judy had just eaten was phenomenal!

"I'm happy that you liked it!" Rachel replied, a broad grin on her muzzle. "And you and I _both_ know how much _Nick_ loved it. . . ." her voice teasingly trailed off as the vixen and bunny turned to Nick, who was happily licking his plate completely clean. He paused mid-lick and turned his eyes to the other two mammals at the table, having sensed the center of attention was suddenly on him. He slowly retracted his tongue and closed his muzzle, a sheepish grin creeping over his features; both Judy and Rachel burst into a fit of laughter.

Nick offered to help clean the dishes, which Rachel gracefully accepted. The three mammals quickly cleared the table, and while Nick washed the dishes in the kitchen, Judy and Rachel briefly conversed in the living room.

"So, how's my Nicky been treating you?" the vixen asked, an amused light in her amber eyes.

"Honestly, he makes me feel like the happiest bunny in the world," Judy stated somewhat dreamily, many wonderful memories of all of Nick's shows of affection rushing through her mind. "It's surprising, really; when I first met him, all he wanted to do was crush my dreams."

Rachel nodded sadly. "Yeah, that sounds like Nick. Ever since the Junior Ranger Scouts, he wasn't the same. He hardly played with his friends; his grades started dropping at school; his demeanor became hardened and cold. I was lucky that he was still willing to open up to me, but even _that_ ended when Nick ran away from home at twelve years old."

Judy lowered her head, sad that her fox's past had been quite a harsh one. However, that didn't keep her down for long. "It's a good thing that I found him, then!" the bunny said, beaming brightly. "Oh, and thank you for those recipes; I'm really excited to try them out with Nick!"

Rachel nodded. "Of course! It was really to save you, though; I'm sure Nick would've been asking to have dinner at my house if I didn't hand over the recipes!"

"That, or he would've tried to cook them himself," Judy added. "He may be quite the fantastic cook, but I'm sure he wouldn't have come _close_ to your level of skill."

"You two talking about me?" Nick called from the kitchen, causing the two women to snicker quietly.

"Of course we are, Nick!" Rachel called back. "I'm telling her _all_ of your embarrassing childhood stories!"

"Good!" Nick replied from the kitchen, the smug grin apparent even though Judy nor Rachel could see him. "She's been running low on good teases; this is _just_ what she needs!"

Again, Rachel and Judy laughed. Soon after, Nick entered the living room, having finished the dishes. "There," he said, rubbing his paws together, "all finished."

Rachel stood up and hugged her son. "Thank you, Nick," she said, planting a kiss on the younger fox's cheek.

"No problem, Mom," Nick replied. "Anytime."

Judy scoffed. "Yeah sure!" she said, her tone a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "You're _glad_ to do dishes for your mom, but _I'm_ the one stuck doing dishes at home!"

"Nick," Rachel chided, a playful light in her eyes. "Are you not doing your chores?"

Nick's ears flattened against his head as a sheepish grin crept over his muzzle. Again, he realized he had just joined in the same room the only two mammals that could render his silver tongue useless.

Upon seeing the surrender in her son's face, Rachel turned back to Judy. "Don't worry, Judy," she said, a sharply cunning glint in her eyes. "He'll come around _real_ soon. Now!" the vixen clapped her paws together, a bright smile appearing on her face. "I think I've kept you two long enough; I'm sure you two have a lot of work tomorrow, so you are going to need _all_ the rest you can get."

As Rachel said this, the three mammals made their way to the front door. Placing his paw on the doorknob, Nick turned back to his mother. "Thanks for letting us stay, Mom," he said, giving his mother a quick peck on the cheek. "We'll have to visit more often, _especially_ since I've introduced Judy to your cooking."

"That would be lovely," Rachel replied before turning to give Judy a warm hug. After the bunny was released, Nick and Judy then opened the door and made their way to their car; Rachel stood on the porch, waving goodbye to the two cops.

She watched as Nick and Judy waved back, broad grins on their muzzles as they drove away. Rachel entered her house, still smiling from the wonderful visit. As she walked through the entryway, the vixen spotted a picture of a much younger Nick clad in his Ranger's uniform. The look of pride in his little, green eyes always melted Rachel's heart.

Nick now held that same pride in his eyes, but it wasn't _just_ pride for himself; it was pride towards the bunny who he called his wife. Rachel's smile widened as the vixen's thoughts turned to the rabbit who had stolen her son's heart. At first, she was skeptical of their relationship; she feared that they didn't know what they were getting into or what was coming to them in the future. But as their relationship grew, Rachel realized that they _did_ in fact know – and were _ready_ for – what they were getting into.

A soft knocking on her front door broke Rachel from her trance-like state. Glancing down, she realized she had the picture in her paws, her thumb gently caressing the frame. Chuckling to herself, the vixen replaced the photo before heading to the front door.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she opened the door, revealing an unexpected visitor.

"Victor!?"

* * *

Nick glanced over at Judy as he drove through the streets of Zootopia. He happily studied her smile as she stared out the window, her eyes staring into the middle-distance; she was probably deep in happy thought.

"Thanks, Carrots," Nick said, gently breaking Judy out of her trance.

"For what?" Judy asked as she turned towards her husband.

"For being willing to stay for dinner," Nick answered before sighing. "Sometimes I think that you're uncomfortable when we visit my mom. Just, you know, maybe something in the back of your mind saying that you're the only bunny in a room with two foxes."

Judy gently furrowed her brows in confusion. "Why would I think that?"

Again, Nick sighed, "I don't know, Carrots. It's just," he paused, collecting his thoughts before he went on, "I can't help but worry about you sometimes. I know you can take care of yourself, but that doesn't stop my instincts from kicking in. And. . . I don't want you to be uncomfortable because of me."

As he talked, Nick's eyes focused on the road ahead of him, his nervousness keeping him from noticing the warm smile on Judy's face. He lightly flinched when he felt Judy's paw on his arm, but immediately relaxed as she gently stroked his fur. Chancing a glance at the bunny, Nick's heart skipped a beat when he saw the warm light in her violet eyes.

"Nick, you worrying about me like this is just one of the _many_ reasons why I could _never_ be uncomfortable because of you," she said reassuringly, the smile never leaving her muzzle. "But I understand where you're coming from; I get this way whenever we visit my parents."

" _You_ worry about _me?_ " Nick teased, all doubt in his mind dashed from Judy's kind words.

Judy nodded. "Yep! I mean, I never know if my dad's gonna suddenly whip out the fox taser because he thought you looked at him the wrong way!"

"Carrots, you and I both know that your dad is too nice for that," Nick said, a relaxed smile creeping over his features.

Judy half-sighed, half-chuckled. "I know, but still, it's like what _you_ just said: I can't help but worry."

A minute silence fell upon the two as their conversation sank in. Judy happily noticed that Nick's nervousness from earlier was completely gone, replaced by a happy relief. Feeling her own relief at finally getting this off of her chest, Judy continued to fondly rub Nick's arm.

"You know, I think worrying is something that just comes with our relationship," Nick said after a moment.

Judy nodded. "I agree. It's not every day a fox and a bunny get together. But that won't stop us, right?"

Nick chuckled as he very quickly kissed Judy's forehead. "Of course not, Judy. I'm not going anywhere, so I'm afraid you'll have to live with a dumb fox for a _long_ while."

"Well _I'm_ certainly not going anywhere, so _you're_ going to have to live with a sly bunny as well," Judy said, her smug grin rivaling that of Nick's. "Think you can handle it?"

"Do I think I can handle it?" Nick echoed before moving his paw to caress her cheek. "I _know_ I can, Carrots; I have _you_ by my side."

Judy sighed happily as she leaned into Nick's touch. "How much longer til we get home?" she asked, her eyes half-lidded.

"I'm not sure," Nick said as he glanced out the window. "A few minutes I guess? I mean, I can _just_ see the ZPD Headquarters from here."

"Good," Judy purred, her sultry tone sending waves of heat up Nick's neck. It didn't help as she leaned closer to the fox. "There's this _fox_ that I know, and the sooner I get home, the sooner I can – ah," she was practically whispering in Nick's ear now; it was becoming _particularly_ hard to focus on driving, "show him a good time."

The kiss she placed under Nick's ear sent the fox over the edge, his focus and resolve completely giving out. He swerved to keep from crashing into the cars parked alongside the street, thankful that he was coming up to a red light. Once he was stopped, he tried in vain to calm himself, placing a paw over his chest as his rapid heartbeat thumped in his ears.

When the thudding in his ears faded out, a new sound caught Nick's attention: Judy's laughter. With confusion etched onto his face, Nick turned to study the shaking form of his wife. She was doubled over in her seat, clutching her sides as if they would split at any second. Before long, a tear fell from her closed eyes before Judy went to swipe it away.

"You should've seen your face!" she blurted, and another bout of laughter racked her body. "Oh, that was _priceless!_ "

A new kind of blush crept up Nick's cheeks: one of embarrassment. This new feeling counter-balanced the arousal he was feeling earlier, helping his "cluttered" mind clear up. When the light turned green, he was focused enough to confidently drive home without crashing.

"Still think you can _handle_ it?" Judy asked again before being taken by another laughing fit. Nick's frown grew as he sunk his head lower into his shoulders, but he couldn't hide the amused light in his eyes; his bunny was doing him proud with her teasing.

Judy finally began to calm down, reduced to scattered chuckling. "I'm sorry Nick, I couldn't help it," she said between breaths. "It's just _too_ much fun to mess with you like that!"

"Har har," Nick grumbled, expertly hiding his pride from his wife. "Next time, though, don't do _that_ when I'm driving; it's hard to focus on the road with such an _attractive_ bunny whispering in my ear." He wiggled his eyebrows, causing Judy to snicker.

"Would it make you feel better if I said that I do this to _only_ you?" Judy asked coyly, the innocent look on her face failing to hide the mischievous gleam in her eyes. "And that I do it because you're _really_ handsome?"

"While that does _something_ for my self-esteem, the flattery is pushing it, Carrots," Nick joked, a small smile playing at his muzzle.

Judy crossed her arms over her chest, a playful pout on her lips. "It was worth a shot," she mumbled.

Before another silence could fall upon the two mammals, Nick pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex. Turning the car off, Nick became abnormally silent, his gaze distant and empty.

"Nick?" Judy asked, a faint voice of concern piping up in the back of her mind. She leaned forward, placing her paw on Nick's arm.

The deep growling that emanated from the fox set Judy's fur on end. It was the kind of sound that stirred deep-set instincts awake; the kind of sound that heightened her anxiety. She suddenly felt very unsafe in the car, the dread slowly crawling up her spine. As Nick's growl grew louder, he slowly turned to face Judy, his eyes filled with hunger. A tiny voice screamed in Judy's head, telling her to get away. Her ears fell behind her head, suddenly realizing her inevitable fate.

Nick was going to pounce, and she couldn't escape.

Judy gave a surprised squeak as Nick barreled into her, tackling her to the seat of the car. The breath that was knocked out of her refused to return as Nick nuzzled his snout into her neck, causing her to laugh. The fox's growls grew playful as his own laughter joined in.

"Nick! I c-can't breathe!" Judy pleaded, trying in vain to push Nick's muzzle away. "Stop!" Laughter racked her body as Nick mercilessly nuzzled her.

"I can't, Carrots," Nick said into his bunny's neck. "It's your fault for getting me all riled up!"

Judy fought a bit more before her laughter drained most of her energy, bringing her to surrender. As the famous saying goes: "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" and join him she did. The bunny began to rub her cheeks against Nick's as the fox continued to nuzzle her, her body relaxing as she did so.

Nick temporarily stopped his nuzzling and leaned back, happily gazing at his trapped bunny. He saw Judy's ears perk at the sound of his tail happily swishing behind him, a small smile forming on her lips. Acting on impulse, Nick swooped in and planted his muzzle on Judy's. He pulled back just as suddenly, his smile wide and his tail happily wagging.

For a moment, the two mammals simply stared at each other, neither wanting to ruin the moment with something as trivial as conversation. Unfortunately for them, someone else had other plans.

Nick's phone suddenly rang, startling both mammals. With a sheepish grin, Nick released his gentle hold on Judy and pulled out his phone. His eyes slightly widened upon seeing the caller ID, and without another word he answered the call.

"Officer Wilde here," he said, his tone professional. "For what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Chief?"

Thanks to her sensitive hearing, Judy was able to pick up the deep rumbling of their boss from Nick's phone.

"I actually have a question to ask you, Nick," the buffalo said, his tone slightly awkward.

Nick's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Oh really?" he said, somewhat surprised with Bogo's tone more than anything. "Well, fire away."

A long sigh sounded from the other end of the line. "I want to know if you'd be alright with us questioning your mother for information on the Victor Wilde Case," the cape buffalo said slowly, having carefully chosen his words.

Nick's eyebrows shot up in shock. _The chief's asking_ my _permission to talk with my mom!?_ "I don't see why you need my permission, sir," the fox said carefully, choosing to tread lightly in case this was some sort of prank.

"I know, and on normal circumstances, I wouldn't have asked. However, this isn't a normal case," Bogo paused, sighing again before continuing, "I trust you, Nick; you _and_ Judy. You two are the best cop duo we've had in years, and you are a perfect example of the peace between predators and prey. This case is trying to tear this peace apart, and life will only get hard from here. That being the case, I want you two to know that you can trust me."

Nick nodded, glad that the buffalo couldn't see him as the feeling of respect from and for the chief was sending Nick into an emotional tizzy; no one besides Judy had ever told him that they respected and trusted him, let alone the Chief of Police. Clearing his throat, Nick answered, "Thanks, Chief. That means a lot to me," Nick took a breath to calm himself. "Yeah, you can interrogate her. But, if you would, could you send someone who would actually _fit_ in her house? Maybe the new kid, uh," he paused, trying to come up with the name, "Sparrow? Raven?"

"Robin?" Bogo asked, using an irritated tone to hide his amusement with the fox.

"Yeah! The new fox recruit!" Nick said excitedly as if _he_ was the one who remembered the recruit's name. "I'm sure my mom would appreciate that."

Bogo chuckled softly. "I'll look into it. Thank you, Nick," he said.

"You're welcome, Chief," Nick said, genuinely meaning those words.

With that, Bogo hung up, leaving the fox and bunny to their silence.

Nick stared at his phone, still processing the call. Many different and positive emotions rushed through him, but the most prominent one was the feeling of being trusted and respected by others. He felt a paw on his forearm, causing him to turn his head. Nick's smile widened upon seeing Judy's proud smile.

"Well look at me, Carrots," Nick said, his smug smile failing to hide the pride in his eyes, "earnin' the Chief's respect and trust."

"Feels pretty good, doesn't it?" Judy asked, her own smile turning smug.

"I'll say!" Nick said before pulling Judy close, much to the bunny's surprise. "I think we should make this a holiday! Take note, Carrots; from now on, today will be known as National Bogo Trusts Me Day!"

"How will we celebrate it?" Judy asked.

"With lots of snuggling and kissing!" Nick quickly answered. To emphasize his point, the fox placed a kiss between Judy's ears.

"I'm fine with that," Judy murmured before leaving a trail of kisses up Nick's neck. Just before her lips met Nick's, however, Judy hesitated; a particular thought that had been nagging at her all day was now full-on screaming at her.

Nick noticed the hesitation, his eyes filling with concern. "What is it, Judy?" he asked, gently stroking the bunny's back in an effort to soothe her. It worked.

Judy gave a happy sigh as Nick's paws worked their magic, helping her find the courage to bring up her question. "What's our next move concerning the case?"

"If we did continue our investigations, what exactly would we accomplish, Carrots?" Nick asked. "I mean, if we let the other officers do their jobs, they'll figure out anything that _we_ would have."

Judy sighed. "I know, but," she paused, "it just feels _wrong_ to not do just a little bit of investigating, you know?"

"Not really," Nick stated, earning an annoyed huff from the bunny.

"I don't really know either!" Judy said, throwing her paws in the air before crossing them over her chest. She sighed before continuing, "Honestly, I feel left out. I want to be on another big case, but because of your father being the cause of all this trouble, we can't do anything without risking the stability of Zootopia!"

"Now _that_ I understand, Carrots," Nick murmured, hugging his bunny closer. "Though, I also think that I just want to finally meet my dad and prove everything about him wrong; I want to see the good fox my mother made him out to be."

The two mammals sat in silence, hundreds of thoughts and feelings soundlessly rushing between them. Nick's paws continued to stroke Judy's back; the bunny began to feel a bit sleepy thanks to the peaceful effect of the petting.

"I have an idea," Nick said, breaking the silence.

Judy looked up at her fox, a question in her eyes.

"Knowing the chief, he'll probably have us on patrol since we finished all of our paperwork today. Why don't we take your laptop, stop at a Snarlbucks or something, and dig up some more info?

Judy took a moment to process the suggestion before smiling. "That sounds great," she said before burying her face in Nick's chest, the fox's petting pushing her to the brink of sleep.

Nick chuckled and stopped his petting. Upon seeing Judy look up at him with a sad, disappointed light in her eyes, Nick put on a reassuring smile. "I'd keep going Carrots, but there's this certain bunny who promised me a good time," he said, his smile turning smug.

Judy's ears burned in embarrassment as she lowered her head. She heard Nick chuckle softly before his arms gave her an affectionate hug; this helped the bunny's embarrassment some, but her ears were still tinged pink.

With much care, Nick picked up his partner and carried her out of the car. Holding her close to his chest, the fox began to nuzzle the bunny as they walked into the apartment complex. Stacy looked up from her newspaper and, upon seeing the two mammals, opened her mouth to greet them. Noticing their laughter and intimate nuzzling, the cougar closed her mouth and waved quietly. A knowing smile crept over Stacy's muzzle as she turned back to her newspapers and the two mammals entered the elevator.

* * *

Nick parked near the front door of Snarlbucks, a flash of hunger in his eyes. Turning to his partner, who was already connecting her laptop to the free wifi, Nick asked, "Want do you want, Carrots?"

Judy thought for a moment. "Carrot cake and a caramel cappuccino, please," she answered. "Thanks, Nick!"

"No problem!" Nick said before exiting the car, leaving Judy to search the World Wide Web for any info on the apparently notorious Victor Wilde.

As soon as Nick entered the building, his nose was assaulted with the concoction of aromas wafting from dozens of pastries and caffeinated drinks. Taking a deep whiff, Nick's smile widened; he had come to enjoy the scent of Snarlbucks, no thanks to being a cop.

Casually sauntering up to the moose behind the register, Nick rested his arm on the counter, his signature smirk plastered on his face.

"How can I help you today, officer?" the moose replied with a bored tone; by the looks of the bags under his eyes, Nick assumed this employee had worked til closing the previous night.

"Well, I've got a simple order for you today, my fine mammal!" Nick said, putting on his friendliest voice; unfortunately, his overabundance of exuberance annoyed the moose more than anything. "I'll have a grande caramel cappuccino and a grande mocha cappuccino. With those, I'll have a slice of carrot cake and a blueberry muffin, please."

The moose sighed out of boredom. "Would you like those pastries warmed up?"

Nick shrugged. "Why not?" he said, pulling out his wallet. "I'm sure the Missus would enjoy that."

After handing the moose the appropriate amount of cash and giving his last name to the moose, Nick stepped away from the register and waited. With a lazy gaze, Nick took in the environment of the shop. Several tables were spread throughout the room, and very few of them were occupied by mammals. Sunlight entered through the many windows lining the front of the store, giving Nick a view of the patrol car where a particular bunny poured over anything she could find _regarding_ the case. The thought brought a warm smile to the fox's face.

Then another thought crossed Nick's mind. What would they do with the info that Judy found, if any? Would they tell Bogo? If they did, would he reprimand them for working on the case that they weren't supposed to be on? Would Nick and Judy go after Victor themselves? Would they be able to bring him in or even _talk_ to him, let alone _find_ him? Uncertainty and fear took the form of an uncomfortable shiver that worked its way up Nick's spine as the fox's thoughts grew more nervous.

That was when Nick noticed that his breathing was a bit sporadic, and his heart rate was increasing. Letting out a disgusted scoff, Nick took to calming his nerves. All of these worries were unneeded in the fox's eyes; he and Judy could handle _anything_ , a fact that they have proven many times in the past. Whatever would come from this small amount of investigating, he and Judy would pull through.

"Mr. Wilde?" the moose said with all the enthusiasm of a rock. After seeing he had the fox's attention, the tired employee gently set two paper bags on the counter. "Your food is ready, and your drinks will be out in just a moment."

"Thanks," said Nick as he bounded over to retrieve the food items. Opened the one that contained his prized muffin, the fox took a deep whiff of the blueberry scent; his mouth watered as he forced himself not to messily eat the pastry right then and there.

True to the moose's word, Nick and Judy's cappuccinos were ready within moments of Nick receiving his food, a small but steady trail of steam rising from both cups. "There you go," said the employee as Nick retrieved the drinks and two cardboard covers to keep from burning his paw. "Have a nice day."

The fox gave his best attempt at a finger gun – both of his paws were full at the moment – before exiting the store. Entering the police cruiser, Nick handed over one of the paper bags and drinks over to his bunny counterpart.

"Here you are, Fluff," he said before taking a sip of his own coffee. "Just the way you like it."

The bunny mumbled her thanks before taking a rather large bite of the carrot cake and immediately returning to her laptop. This brought a smile to Nick's face, though he chose to take a bit of his own treat instead of making a snarky comment.

The two cops sat in near-complete silence, the only sound the clicking of Judy's keyboard and the crinkle of either of the paper bags. Nick took his time in finishing his muffin, savoring every bite of the sweet pastry before washing it all down with a long sip of his coffee.

Setting the cup down, the fox turned to his partner. "So, you find anything yet?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Judy's response was an annoyed huff and another large bite of carrot cake. "No," she said, her tone disappointed. "Nothing useful, at least. All I can find are news articles basically saying the same thing over and over again: Victor Wilde is bad, and he may need to be stopped because we don't really know if he's connected to any of the recent crimes of the year," the deep, authoritative tone the bunny took when saying this last bit caused Nick to snicker. The smile dropped whenever Judy gave another sigh, sounding defeated.

On impulse, Nick reached over and gently stroked Judy's ears, something that always seemed to lift her spirits; luckily, it had the intended effect. "Sorry to hear that, Carrots," Nick said as he moved closer to the bunny, gently pulling her into an affectionate hug. "But with all of the publicity he's getting, I'd be surprised if he was able to go _anywhere_ out in public!"

As Judy softly chuckled at the sad attempt of a joke, Nick's eyes widened as an idea came to him. He stopped stroking Judy's ears as the plan unfolded in his mind, his ears perking as if he could hear it in reality.

"Nick?" Judy asked, looking up at her partner in confusion. Studying the fox carefully, Judy realized that she recognized the look on Nick's face: it was the same look he had on the sky trams three years ago when he had joked about the traffic cameras. Her ears perked up, expecting another revelation that would send them on the right path with this case.

Without another word, Nick gently moved Judy off of his lap before reaching for the bunny's laptop. Judy merely watched as Nick typed away, determination set in his eyes. After a moment, his signature grin reappeared on his muzzle as he turned to Judy.

Holding out the laptop to the bunny, Nick gave a flourish of his paw as he said, "Voila!" with an excited tone.

Judy studied the screen carefully, her eyes darting about the screen. Nick had pulled up a Zoogle page listing the few establishments in all of Zootopia that openly accepted foxes as customers. Suddenly, it clicked for Judy, but Nick still beat her to the punch.

"Because Victor's such a _'celebrity_ ,' he doesn't have a lot of options regarding places where he can relax. So, all we have to do is visit these places and see if he frequents them!"

Judy smiled at her fox's quick thinking before an idea of her own came to mind. "What if we try to narrow down our options?" she asked, taking the laptop from her partner. She clicked the link at the top of the page. "If we can find out a little more about these places, then we don't have to drive over _all_ of Zootopia to find this guy."

Nick nodded as he sat next to Judy, studying the screen with as much intent as the bunny. "Take this place for example," Judy said, gesturing towards the webpage with her paw. "'The Den'. It recently opened _and_ is very accepting of _all_ mammals. It even says they welcome inter-species couples!" Judy's ears perked with excitement as she read this; maybe she and Nick could visit on one of their days off.

As she scrolled down the page, a picture of the cafe's opening day caught the attention of both cops. The Den was a cafe tucked away behind a building, the only entrance a short walk down a cheery alleyway. Around the front door was a decent-sized crowd of mammals, all of them applauding the opening of the establishment. One mammal in particular caught Judy's eye.

He was tucked off to the right, the camera just _barely_ getting enough of him in frame. At first glance, Judy assumed that said mammal was Nick, which immediately confused her. Upon closer inspection, however, Judy realized that the fox in question was not Nick.

"You seeing what I'm seeing?" Nick asked, his gaze on the exact same fox Judy had found.

Judy nodded as her paws slid over the touchpad of the laptop, enlarging the picture on the screen. "Yep. Victor Wilde. Looks like we have a lead, Nick," she said, turning to her partner.

Nick nodded. "Though, he should be careful," he mused, bringing a paw up to his chin. "Just because he was there on opening day doesn't mean that he frequents that establishment."

Judy deflated somewhat, though the determination didn't leave her eyes. "You're right. And we don't have the jurisdiction to go in there and start questioning everyone," she said, the wheels in her head struggling to come up with a way around this.

Nick crawled back into the driver's seat before sending his partner a smirk. "I've got an idea," he said before motioning to the glove box with his snout. "Open that, would you?"

Curious as to what Nick's plan was, Judy obeyed and opened the glove box. Her eyes widened in surprise as she found a familiar, laminated card. One side was a permit to sell pawpsicles; the other side, a Receipt of Declared Commerce.

Nick's grin widened as he studied the expression on Judy's face. "You _kept_ this?" Judy asked, turning to the fox.

The fox nodded. "Yep, but not for the reason you're probably thinking. I don't plan on giving up being your partner for a _long_ time, but I knew that my pawpsicle hustling skills would come in handy someday. All we have to do is make 'em and then sell 'em near The Den, and sooner or later we can get some questions answered and maybe even get a glimpse of my dad!"

Judy was at a loss for words as memories and thoughts rushed through her mind. "Don't look so surprised, Carrots," Nick teased as he started the cruiser. "I was bound to bring this up sooner or later. Heck, I even have everything we need in the back!"

The bunny was finally able to come back to her senses as Nick took to the streets, donning his sunglasses. "If you want me to wear that elephant costume, you've got another thing coming!" she joked, playfully crossing her arms over her chest.

Nick chuckled before glancing at the bunny. "Don't worry, you won't have to," he said, his smug smirk never leaving his face. "Besides, I can _barely_ handle your normal level of cuteness; with you in that costume, I don't think I'd survive!"

"Shut up and drive, Slick," Judy chided, annoyance creeping into her eyes at Nick's remark. _He can be so insufferable at times._

* * *

"Good morning Officers," Jumbeaux said as the fox and bunny entered the ice cream parlor, the elephant giving a friendly wave of his trunk. "Didn't expect to see you two here. What can I do for ya?"

Nick's casual gait came to a stop a few feet away from the large counter; had he walked any closer, he wouldn't have been able to see the elephant. "Nice to see you too, Tusks," the fox said, earning a small shove from Judy. He could feel the look that the bunny was giving him; it was a look of _Are you serious right now?_ Giving his partner a side glance and a smirk, the fox continued, "As we'd like a Jumbo Pop, please."

Jumbeaux raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he asked. "Are you sure _that's_ what you want? I don't think that even the two of you working together could finish that!"

The fox chuckled. "Oh don't worry! We're taking it straight home to eat what we can and then stuffing the rest in the freezer," he lied with a cheery tone. While his friendly facade was in place, Nick felt rather awkward; this was the first time he _didn't_ have to hustle the Jumbo Pop out of the restaurant, and this was certainly the first time he was _paying_ for it. Glancing over to his partner, Nick's smile widened upon seeing the warm grin from the bunny.

The elephant shrugged. "Alright, your choice. That'll be fifteen dollars."

"What, no police discount?" Nick teased as he fished out his wallet. "The nerve of some animals," he half-heartedly mumbled under his breath as he handed the money to Judy, who in turn used her powerful legs to jump up the height of the counter and hand over the money.

Seconds later, the two cops were walking out the door, Nick carrying the Jumbo Pop over his shoulder. Both mammals had a strong case of Deja vu.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Judy softly asked as she wrung her paws together.

Nick chuckled as he turned to Judy. "Sure does; I could never forget the day I met my favorite bunny," he said in hopes of dispelling the less happy thoughts attached to this day. Nick had long since gotten over himself, having grown tired of looking back at this day in shame. Successfully tuning those memories out had made this a day Nick enjoyed looking back on, but he wasn't sure if Judy had done the same. For all he knew, Judy felt sorry for him, thinking that he hated himself for being so demeaning to her.

Judy had started down that path of thought, but upon hearing Nick's positive take on things, Judy's own heart began to soar. He was right! If it wasn't for this chance encounter, she wouldn't have met her best friend, partner, and husband.

"The _non_ -patronizing bunny, right?" Judy asked, throwing a teasing gaze at the fox as they entered the cruiser; Nick's entrance was awkward as he tried to maneuver the massive frozen treat into the confined space. In the end, he ended up gently placing it in the back seat.

Nick gave a loud "Ha!" at Judy's comment as he started up the cruiser and set the air conditioner on freezing; melted Jumbo Pop would be fifteen dollars down the drain and a plan pretty much ruined. "You're absolutely right, Carrots!" he said. "You weren't patronizing; you were downright infuriating. I mean, look at me! A fox being out-foxed by a bunny!"

"Hence 'dumb fox'," Judy said, a smile on her face. "Though you _do_ have your moments."

"And I take a lot of pride in those," Nick stated. "They are all I have left to show off my intelligence."

Judy snickered at the comment before glancing at the giant frozen treat in the back of the vehicle. She had seen Nick and Finnick make the pawpsicles way back when and it had angered her, but now that they were doing it for the "right" reasons, Judy couldn't help but feel giddy. There was something _exciting_ about the whole ordeal, but Judy couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Not much was said between the two mammals as they crossed into Savanna Square, the heat visibly rising off the asphalt. The bunny gazed out the window, taking in all the sights. Many mammals built for this kind of heat went about their day. Judy's eyes flicked from mammal to mammal, still finding a species that she hadn't seen before. She loved that about Zootopia; she got to see _so_ many new and beautiful things!

Out of the corner of his eye, Nick watched his bunny stare out the window, wonder shining in her amethyst eyes. Seeing Judy look at the world with such an innocent and awed expression always warmed Nick's heart; her optimism was something he loved very much about her.

Before long, Nick came to a stop near an alleyway and climbed out of the car. Before he closed the door, however, he turned to Judy. "You comin', Carrots?" he asked.

With a nod, Judy soon exited the car and almost immediately regretted it; the heat was sweltering. She walked around the cruiser to Nick, who had already taken the Jumbo Pop out of the back seat. He glanced inside, his ears folding back as he noticed a small, red stain. "Crap," he muttered. "I was afraid of that."

Judy glanced inside as well, breaking into a giggling fit as she saw what Nick had noticed. "What did you expect, you dumb fox!" she teased. "The cold air would keep that thing frozen?"

Nick gave a shrug that said, _'Well, kinda.'_ Judy shook her head at her partner, a smile creeping over her muzzle. "You're cleaning that up, you know," she said.

"Figured as much," Nick said before pointing to the trunk. "I've got the jars in there, if you'd grab them for me."

Judy nodded before bounding over to the back of the cruiser. It felt strange, seeing those clear jars. Heck, this _whole_ ordeal felt strange! Part of Judy said that they shouldn't be doing this; sure it was "legal," but there was a certain _guilt_ that came from it. The other part of Judy felt privileged; Nick was allowing her to help with something he had practically mastered. Overall, Judy felt an odd sort of happiness, and she felt content to leave it at that.

With the jars in paw – it was rather difficult with them being nearly her height – Judy returned to where Nick had been, only to find the fox absent. Looking around, Judy was slightly startled when she heard "Up here, Fluff," from above. Tilting her head up, Judy's gaze locked onto the form of her fox standing atop the small building, the Jumbo Pop already melting.

"I assume you know what to do, Carrots?" Nick called down, the smile on his muzzle warm and loving.

Judy nodded before setting one of the jars down under a storm drain and removing the lid. Before long, a steady trickle of sweet, red liquid began filling the clear jar. Satisfied with her work, Judy took a step back and looked up at Nick.

"How's it going up there?" she called, a silly smile on her face as she couldn't help but giggle; she was reminded of the many times she spent playing with her siblings in the barn, calling up to the bunnies who had managed to climb onto the second floor.

"Well, it's rather hot," Nick said blandly. "Don't know _how_ I could've handled this back in the day; I'm _dying_ up here!"

"Well, you _are_ in full uniform, Slick," Judy said, rocking on her feet. Her smile widened as Nick gave an affirmative nod. Glancing over to the jars, Judy realized that the first one nearing its capacity. As if she had been doing this her entire life, Judy quickly replaced the jar with an empty one and carried the full container to the cruiser.

Nick began to pant, the sun's heat bearing down on him; he honestly had no idea how he handled this during his conning days. But that didn't matter as his gaze once again turned to the bunny on the ground below him, staring up at him with those wonderful eyes. Eyes that told him that he was so much more than the world made him out to be. Lifting his sunglasses so that Judy could see his eyes, Nick sent a wink and a smirk in her direction, which she reciprocated with a broad smile that could outshine the sun with its warmth.

A few minutes later, all three jars were filled and stored in the back seat of the cruiser. Judy watched with awe as Nick gracefully slid down the roof and landed on his feet – a move that could only be performed by someone as practiced as him.

"Remind me never to do that again, Carrots," said Nick, rubbing his legs after they entered their air-conditioned cruiser.

"Aww, is someone going _soft?_ " Judy asked, her tease evident in the look she gave the fox.

"Har har," Nick said as he pulled out onto the street. "If anyone's soft here, it's _you_ , Carrots. Besides, it's not the fall that hurts; it's sliding down the roof. That does a _number_ on my feet!"

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I go roof-surfing," Judy joked.

Nick gave Judy a surprised glance, though the bunny couldn't see Nick's eyes behind his reflective sunglasses. "You _roof-surf!?_ " he asked, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. "Man, I wish I was as cool as you!"

Judy snickered at her fox's playful excitement before answering, "Yeah, it's _really_ popular in Bunnyburrow. Unfortunately, it's designed _only_ for bunnies, so I'm afraid I can't teach you; it would be _too dangerous_."

"You know me!" Nick said, jerking a thumb at himself for good measure. "Nicholas Wilde, afraid of any and all danger!"

"Is _that_ why you cower behind me _all_ the time?" Judy asked, pretending to contemplate the thought. "I _never_ would have guessed."

"Well, you _are_ just a dumb bunny after all," Nick retorted, a victorious smirk on his muzzle.

Judy donned a smirk of her own. "Am I a dumb bunny?" she mused, placing a paw on her chin. "I can't tell. There's this dumb fox that seems to follow me around; maybe he's rubbing off on me?"

Nick chuckled. "You've been practicing your deadpan humor, haven' you?" he asked. When she nodded enthusiastically, Nick nodded in approval. "Nicely done, Carrots. Nicely done."

"Thank you," Judy said before she gazed out the window. The bright white snow of Tundra Town met her gaze. As the windows began to fog over, Nick flicked a switch next to the wheel, causing the windshield's temperature to change. Before long, Nick and Judy could see the road in front of them clearly.

Judy loved the different ecosystems of Zootopia; so much diversity in so little space! She remembered her many days in Bunnyburrow, playing in the snow and pretending to chase bad guys through Tundra Town. Now that she actually _did_ chase bad guys through the icy cold climate, she realized that she may have been a bit overzealous in her pretending; she shivered a bit even as the adrenaline from the chase warmed her body.

Again, Nick coming to a stop brought Judy out of her thoughts. With a sigh to brace himself, Nick stepped out into the cold air, giving an involuntary shiver before turning back to Judy. "You ready?" he asked.

"You know it!" Judy said before hopping out of the car. Immediate regret came the moment her feet sank into the freezing snow; she hadn't brought any protective clothing with her, not having anticipated this course of events to take place today. Carefully, Judy trudged over Nick, her teeth faintly chattering.

"Cold?" Nick asked, a teasing smile on his muzzle.

"I'm not built for this weather, Nick!" Judy complained, though a certain light in her eyes betrayed her tone of voice. "I should have brought a coat." As she said this, she closed the gap between her and the fox, snuggling herself into the warmth of her husband.

Nick chuckled after getting over the small amount of surprise at Judy's action. "This _coat_ needs help with the jars. Think you're up for it?" he asked as he hugged Judy close to him, hoping to warm her up just enough to survive the next few minutes.

Judy nodded before reluctantly stepping away from Nick and picking up one of the containers; Nick carried the remaining two. As the two mammals walked into the snow-covered clearing, Judy's thoughts began to fly through her mind. How were they going to do this? Would Nick have her step in the snow? Would her feet be too big? Would they have enough Jumbo Pop liquid?

"Carrots, you alright?" Nick asked, a light of concern in his green eyes.

Judy set the jar in her paws on the ground and nodded. "I'm fine," she answered. Hesitating slightly, Judy continued, "How are we going to do this? I think our feet are too big for this."

"Don't worry, I've got that covered," he said as he made his way back to the cruiser. Judy watched as the fox opened the trunk and retrieved some items she didn't remember seeing earlier. In one paw was a small box filled with pawpsicle sticks. From where Judy stood, however, she couldn't quite tell what was in the other paw.

Nick watched as the bunny's nose twitched in curiosity, widening his smile and tempting him to pull some snarky prank. He chose against the prank, however, upon watching a shiver race through Judy's body as a gust of icy wind blew through the clearing. His protective instincts kicking in, Nick picked up his pace just a touch; his mind was set on warming her up before another gust of wind came by.

As she tried to get a good look at Nick's other paw, Judy found herself being tightly hugged by the fox. The warmth was immediate, sending a shudder of goosebumps and pleasure down the bunny's spine.

"How's that, Carrots?" Nick asked after a moment.

"You make a really nice coat, Nick," Judy murmured into Nick's chest, reveling in the temporary heat. "But we've gotta get this done."

"Just making sure you didn't become a _bun_ -sicle, Fluff," Nick said before gently releasing his grip from around Judy.

As Nick placed the box of pawpsicle sticks on the ground, Judy finally got a good look at what was in his other paw. Two cushions were attached to sticks, reminding Judy of the stamps used at the DMV. However, the cushions were designed to look like the paws of Finnick's elephant costume; if Judy didn't know any better, she would've guessed that the fabric on the cushions came _directly_ from the costume.

"Here you go," Nick said, handing the stamps over to Judy. "Thought this would be more your style."

Judy smiled at her partner; she still wasn't quite _fully_ used to the fox's soft side, though she was definitely getting there. Without another word, Judy hugged Nick before taking her stamps and the box of pawpsicle sticks and getting to work.

The process was simple: two paw prints in the ground, followed by two sticks placed on top, scoot back and repeat. While Judy created the molds, Nick would come by after her, pouring some of the melted liquid into the crevice. A minute or two later, the liquid was frozen, and the pawpsicles were set in a cooler full of snow. When Nick had pulled the blue container from the trunk of the cruiser, Judy had just shaken her head; he actually _had_ brought everything needed!

Before long, the two mammals had used every pawpsicle stick, and the cooler was filled with the tasty treat. With a lot of effort, the two mammals managed to set the heavy cooler in the back seat before entering the car themselves. As Nick pulled the cruiser back on the street, he nearly forgot to _not_ turn on the heat.

"Wait, Nick!" Judy said, suddenly batting his paw away from the controls. "We can't do that!"

Nick was confused, looking very much like the dumb fox Judy regularly called him. "Why not?"

Judy rolled her eyes and jerked a thumb towards the back seat. A smug grin crept over her muzzle as Nick's eyes widened with realization.

"OH! _That!_ Oops," he said with a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

"And you wonder why I call you a dumb fox," Judy mumbled, rolling her eyes again as she turned away from her partner.

"If it makes you feel any better," Nick said as his sheepish grin transformed into a smug one, "I was turning up the heat for you. It's not fun for me to see you shiver like that."

Judy said nothing as her ears began to burn with a blush. "It's alright," she said, suddenly not cold. Her next statement was completely truthful, "I'm okay now."

However, Nick couldn't see the faint blush as Judy was turned towards her window, so the fox shrugged. "Whatever you say, Carrots. But don't worry, we're almost back in City Center."

The fox's word was true as they passed through the large, weather-changing barrier and emerged into the hustle and bustle of the Heart of Zootopia. These sights, though very familiar to Judy, still managed to captivate her as they had on her first day in the city. The tall buildings, the colorful shopfronts, the diversity of the mammals that inhabit Zootopia. Sure, Judy knew that the city had its dark side; Nick had been kind enough to show her that. But even with this information, Judy still chose to see the city for what it stood for: a place of harmony between predator and prey, where stereotypes were forgotten.

Judy felt Nick's gaze on her, though she knew it was from the corner of his eye. He did that a lot, watching her, studying her. She had thought nothing of it when they were partners, but when she had started to fall for him, it embarrassed her. Eventually, she got over the fear of him finding something he didn't like, and now that watchful gaze brought with it a warm love that was reserved only for her. It was a love that she reveled in and reciprocated as much as she could.

"Alright, last stop for the day, Carrots," Nick said as they pulled up to the alleyway that hid the popular cafe. "Let's go get 'em!"

Judy nodded in affirmation as she followed her partner out of the cruiser. Another few moments of effort, the cooler was set up on the sidewalk. As Judy stared at the sign that hung off the front of the container, a warm smile crept over her muzzle. The only reason she was able to ever meet Nick was because of the icy treats.

"Alright, if you'll stand here a minute, Carrots, I'm gonna change in the car," Nick said, pulling Judy from her thoughts. Before she could question him, however, the fox was already hidden inside the large cruiser.

Moments later, Nick exited the car, dressed in his new blue shirt, red tie, and khaki pants. Upon noticing Judy's confused expression, he smiled. "Come on, Carrots, if _you_ were a possible crime boss, would you want to buy a pawpsicle from a cop?"

"I guess that makes sense," Judy said, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "But what about me? I didn't bring a change of clothes."

Nick chuckled, placing a gentle paw on the bunny's shoulder. "Don't worry, I've got that covered. I need you to keep a patrol out in case I miss him. I've got my radio on me, so if either of us sees anything, we'll let each other know. Got it?"

The smile that he sent her way made all sorts of warm emotions flutter through her, bringing a smile to her muzzle. "What are partners for, Slick?" she asked, wrapping her fox in a warm hug. When she broke the hug, she leaned back to drink in Nick's appearance. "You know, I'm glad I bought that shirt; it looks _per_ fect on you."

Nick took a bow. "Why thank you, Carrots," he said. "Glad to know my fashion sense is appreciated. Now hop along; we've got work to do!"

With a newfound sense of determination and one last hug, Judy entered the cruiser and pulled away. Turning on her radio, the bunny let out a deep breath. They were really doing this: they had set up the trap and bait, and all they had to do now is wait.

* * *

"Pawpsicles! Get your pawpsicles!" Nick called, wagging the frozen treat to the steady flow of citizens walking in and out of the alleyway. It felt like putting on an old skin, being here again. There was something else about it, though, something _special_. Was it the fact that he was doing this on and for the right side of the law? Was it because he had done it with his best friend? Was it both?

Whatever it was, Nick didn't care; he was happy, and that's all that mattered.

After a while, Nick got a steady stream of customers going. They'd be on their way to The Den, see the friendly fox selling ice cream, and walk over. The pawpsicle was bought and promptly eaten as the customers then made their way back to the cafe.

It was easy, being here again; Nick didn't have to think about what others thought of him, didn't have to worry about the outside world. All he had to do was put on a friendly smile and trade a frozen treat for a couple bucks. Simple.

Though, as the minutes ticked by, Nick remembered that the reason he was here was all _but_ simple. He was here to hopefully catch a glimpse of his dad, to see if this was the right place. Nick's breathing hitched as his heart rate increased. What if his dad decided to come over a buy a pawpsicle? Would he recognize him? Would the whole investigation be botched – not only for Nick and Judy – but for the entire ZPD?

Nick was lucky that his stream of customers had thinned down to a non-existent trickle as his mind began to race and his body went rigid. Eyes wide and ears pinned against his head, Nick felt butterflies in his stomach. Butterflies hyped-up on caffeine.

Taking a moment to calm his heart and ease out his breathing, Nick didn't notice the elderly fox taking an interest in the frozen treats less than a foot away from him.

"Rough day?" the fox asked, startling Nick.

 _And just when I had myself calmed down, too,_ Nick thought as his eyes met the green eyes of the "new customer."

"You alright?" the fox asked, noticing the many nervous ticks on Nick.

Taking a deep breath, Nick nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a long day," with some effort, Nick slipped back into his smug persona. "I was also starting to worry that I was losing customers; guess I shouldn't have set up near a popular cafe, huh?"

The elderly fox nodded, and Nick took the opportunity to study the canine. Gray fur mingled with red, _especially_ in the tail. The brown business suit was tailored to the perfect size, almost as if it was custom-made _just_ for the fox. A blue tie finished off the look, the splash of color inviting, much like the soothing light of the angler fish; Nick could smell the intended trap from a mile away. This fox was not to be trusted.

"That was a poor business choice indeed," the fox agreed, a broad smile showing off his teeth. "Though, with how much I visit that place, you could eventually get some good regulars if you stay here long enough. I'm sure these pawpsicles are worth it!"

Nick chuckled. "Try one yourself; first one's free!"

"Why thanks!" the fox said, picking one of the treats from the cooler. Putting the pawpsicle in his maw, the fox practically melted as a satisfied moan sounded from behind the treat. "This is great!"

"Thanks," Nick said, a smug grin on his face. "Though, I did forget to mention one thing: the regular price of a pawpsicle includes the production fee on my side, _so_ I'm gonna have to ask two dollars off of you," Nick was proud of his apologetic tone; it was like he never left the hustling business!

The fox took a moment to process the information before letting out a hearty laugh. "You sly fox, you!" he said, a broad grin revealing his teeth again. "Quite the hustle, there! Nicely done, if I do say so myself," the fox said as he handed the money over.

Nick gave a nervous grin as he took the money from the elderly canine. "Anyway, you have a name, Son?" the fox asked. Noticing Nick's hesitation, the fox laughed again. "I see, not big on strangers, eh? I'll start then," he held out a paw, "my name's Victor. Victor Wilde."

Bingo.

Nick had to fight the urge to smile victoriously as he shook his father's paw. "I'm Gideon Grey," he lied, thinking of the first alias that came to mind. "Nice to meet you, sir."

When Nick's eyes met Victor's however, Nick noticed that the other fox wasn't looking at him. Following his gaze, he turned to see a wolf running down the street, wallet in paw. Nick's wallet.

His paw immediately flying to his back pocket, Nick let out a low growl when his suspicions were confirmed. "Hey!" he called, almost tripping as he began to give chase; Victor helped the fox right himself before Nick took off. "Get back here!"

* * *

Judy drove at a slow pace, keeping her eyes peeled for any suspicious behavior. Unfortunately for the impatient bunny, nothing had happened for the past fifteen minutes. It didn't help that she constantly glanced at her radio, waiting for _anything_ from her partner.

Driving in complete and determined silence, Judy nearly jumped out of her seat when her radio crackled to life. She quickly grabbed it from the console, all of her attention now on the small device.

"This is Officer Hopps," she said in a professional tone, glad that she was able to hide her slight hysteria at finally having something happen.

"Judy!?" came the reply, again startling the bunny.

"Nick! What's going on!?" Judy asked, worry lacing her voice.

"My wallet got stolen. I had to leave the premises and am now in pursuit of the suspect. From what I can see, he's a gray wolf, four feet tall, _very_ fast," Nick said breathlessly. "I may need backup."

"Alright, where are you?" Judy said, turning the cruiser into the other lane and pressing on the gas.

"Heading towards North Pine Grove, partner," Nick replied, sounding _very_ out of breath. This concerned Judy, for she was _sure_ that Nick was in better shape that this.

"I'm on my way!" she replied, shaking the thought from her head; he _had_ said that this wolf was fast. She winced slightly as the tires squealed against the asphalt before finding purchase, sending the car flying through the streets of Zootopia.

* * *

"I'm on my way!"

Victor smirked down at the radio in his paw before pocketing it. Happy with his performance and thankful for the low audio quality that came with these devices, the fox strolled away from the pawpsicle stand, whistling a merry tune.

"You've still got it, Victor," he said to himself, his smile widening. "You've still got it."

 _His paw immediately flying to his back pocket, Nick let out a low growl when his suspicions were confirmed. "Hey!" he called, almost tripping as he began to give chase._

 _Victor stepped forward, helping the fox regain his balance. As he did so, his paw slipped into Nick's other pocket, retrieving the radio. Nick then straightened himself and took off towards the wolf, not aware of the devilish smile on Victor's muzzle._

 _"Get back here!"_

* * *

 _Sweet cheese and crackers, this guy is fast!_ Nick thought as the wolf gained more speed than before. Ducking under a large elephant, Nick quickly began to catch up, his conditioned stamina keeping his breathing easy. This was almost _nothing_ to the fox.

Up ahead, a team of mammals was moving furniture into a small apartment complex. Without hesitation, the wolf increased his speed and jumped over the couch that two of the mammals were carrying. Nick was close behind, though he chose to slide under the furniture.

The wolf glanced back at Nick, his cold, brown eyes narrowing in irritation as he realized how close the fox was; Nick was practically on his tail!

"Stop!" Nick called, pulling out his badge from the shirt's chest pocket. "ZPD!"

The wolf stepped right before throwing his weight to the left, disappearing into a side alley. Nick quickly followed suit, using the side-step for extra momentum. The rancid odor of garbage and filth hit Nick's sensitive nose, but he felt sorrier for the wolf and _his_ sensitive nose.

Nick rolled his eyes as the wolf threw nearby trash bins to the ground, the garbage spilling out onto the ground and blocking the fox's path. It was a futile attempt, really, and Nick bounded over the toppled bins with ease. The only thing hard about this was ignoring the horrid odor emanating from the trash.

Following the wolf through a few more alleyways, Nick began to feel the fatigue of the chase. His legs burned, and his chest tightened as it fought to get more air. Taking a deep breath through his snout, Nick felt the pain in his legs ease into a manageable, dull thudding that he pushed to the back of his mind.

It wasn't long before the wolf led him out of the alleys and back into the streets. It also wasn't long for the wolf to realize that a particular, uniformed bunny was waiting for him. With a force that could put a rhino to shame, Judy barreled into the wolf, knocking the large predator down to the ground. The wallet flew from the canine's paws as both mammals rolled to a stop.

Judy recovered as quickly as the wolf did, both mammals quickly jumping to their feet. The bunny prepared herself to charge ahead as two large paws lifted her off the ground. Before she knew it, she was being thrown back into Nick, both mammals falling to the ground with a thud.

As Nick watched the wolf pick up his mate, a cold shiver raced down his spine. He realized – as if for the first time – how meek and fragile Judy was in the paws of a large predator. He saw just how _small_ she was, how _weightless_ she seemed to the wolf. Nick felt as if his heart was in the wolf's paws, and it was dangerously close to being severely damaged.

As the small bunny was thrown towards him, Nick dashed forward, his arms outstretched and ready to catch his mate. Judy hit his chest, eliciting an "Oof!" from the fox. Both mammals tumbled back onto the ground, but Nick's arms were wrapped securely around Judy's body.

When Nick and Judy finally came to their senses, they picked themselves off of the ground and looked around for any sign of the wolf. They only thing they could find out of the ordinary was Nick's wallet on the ground; the wolf was gone.

"Judy, wait!" Nick called as Judy ran ahead, holding his paw out towards the bunny. With a groan of irritation, Nick followed suit after picking up his wallet.

Judy didn't go very far, her body sore from her impact with Nick. Disappointment filled her eyes with each passing second that she didn't see the wolf. She finally gave up with a huff as Nick caught up with her.

"We lost him, Nick," Judy said, turning to the fox.

"It's okay, Carrots," Nick said, noticing the hurt look in Judy's eyes; she wasn't used to losing. "I got my wallet back, and you're safe; that's what matters right now."

Judy took a breath and nodded as Nick pulled her into a close hug. "I've got you, Carrots," Nick whispered as he gently stroked Judy's back with his claws. "It's okay."

With her ears so close to his chest, Judy realized that Nick was saying this more to calm _himself_ down than anything; his heartbeat was frantic, but slowing down steadily.

It took a moment, but soon, both mammals were calmed and collected.

"Alright," Nick said, clapping his paws together. "I guess we better radio this in to the chief; he'll want to know that I found Victor."

Judy's ears perked at this news. "You found Victor!?" she asked.

Nick nodded, a smirk creeping over his muzzle. "Yep. He practically confessed that he eats at The Den regularly; we've got some important info for the Chief!" He reached into his back pocket, his ears folding back and his lips curving into a frown. His movements became frantic as he patted down every pocket on his clothes; he even began to search the sidewalk around them, his fur bristling in nervousness.

"Nick, what's wrong!?" Judy asked, her own anxiety rising at Nick's actions.

"My radio!" Nick all but shouted at the bunny, causing Judy to flinch. "I don't have my radio! Oh, Bogo's gonna have my tail for this!"

"It's alright, Nick," Judy said, somewhat relieved that the situation wasn't as dire as she thought. "We can find it!"

Nick groaned in defeat. "No, I probably lost it while I was chasing that wolf," he said dejectedly. "And I am _not_ digging through that filth. I'll just have to ask Bogo for another one."

His thoughts turning to the cape buffalo, Nick let out another groan; with what they had to explain to the chief, this was turning out to be a _long_ day.

The car door opened and shut, pulling Victor from his thoughts. He turned, his gaze meeting that of the wolf in the driver's seat.

"So, how'd it go?" he asked in a light, conversational tone. "You deliver the package, Richard?"

The wolf smiled, revealing the whites of his teeth. "Of course, Victor," he replied as he turned on the ignition. "Did you doubt my abilities?"

Victor chuckled. "Of course not," he said. "I was afraid that the dynamic duo would stop you too soon!"

"With how much you're giving them, they might stop _you_ too soon," Richard stated as they drove through the streets of Zootopia.

The fox chuckled again, but there was no joy in that laugh. It was the cold, calculating laugh of someone who knows that he's won. "Don't worry. Unlike others before me, _I_ don't underestimate their relationship. In fact, the closer they are, the stronger the assurance of my victory."

 **I'm gonna be honest with you guys: I could have gotten this done earlier, but darn procrastination got the better of me. Luckily, I have figured out a better writing schedule, so the next chapter will be on time! Also, huge thanks to the wonderful Armae for letting me use The Den in my story. To see where this cafe originates, go check out Through the Wall; it's a great fanfiction that deserves the attention is has and more!**


	6. The Calm Before the Storm

There were several things that Nicholas Wilde was afraid of. As a confox, it was any criminal power he had managed to piss off. As he helped a dumb bunny with her investigation, it was the threat of his income tax evasion sending him to the slammer and, later on, savage animals. As a cop, it was the looming presence of Chief Bogo's office door.

Every officer in the ZPD knew of the cape buffalo's explosive temper, making him an animal to be feared. However, every officer _also_ knew of Bogo's rationality; no matter how angry he got, he was never unfair in his judgment and punishment. This fact alone had brought many – including Nick – to fully respect and trust the chief. So, even as Nick nervously stood with his partner before the massive, intimidating form of the door to Chief Bogo's office, there was a certain sense of calm in the fox. That calm, however, was hidden beneath bristled fur and uneven breathing.

Nick took a deep breath to calm himself and watched his reflection in the door visibly relaxed. His tail still wagged nervously behind him, but his cool, smug demeanor was much more believable now.

"You okay, Nick?" Judy asked, drawing the fox's attention away from the door.

Nick's eyes locked with Judy's, and the effect was immediate: his body relaxed, his tail calmed down, and his smile became genuine. "Honestly? No, not really. I – _we_ – just received Bogo's trust, and now we have to walk in there and tell him, 'Hey, we like that you trust us, but – Whoopsie! - we decided to completely disregard it!'"

Judy reached out and gave Nick's paw an affectionate squeeze. "I don't want to have to do this either, but things will be _much_ worse if we just sweep it under the rug."

Nick sighed. "I know," he said. He turned to Judy and asked, "How much are we going to tell him?"

Judy thought for a moment; her ears folded back in the process. "I say we tell him everything. That way, he knows that we still trust him enough not to hide anything about this from him."

"That sounds like a good plan," Nick said, nodding in agreement. "If we want to sign our death warrants," he added under his breath, though Judy still heard it. Looking back to the door, Nick took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "Alright, let's get in there and get this over with."

Stepping up to the door with a sense of purpose, Nick gave a knock that was anything _but_ confident. The soft _tap tap tap_ of his knuckles on the glass of the door was almost non-existent, but caught by the buffalo nonetheless.

"Come in!" said the chief, his deep voice all-too-familiar to Nick and Judy. With some effort to reach the doorknob, the fox and bunny crossed the threshold into their boss's office.

The sight of two of his best officers entering his office didn't surprise the chief in the slightest. "Officers," the cape buffalo said with a curt nod. "I assume this is about your message from earlier?"

The hesitant nod from both officers was not surprising either. With an affirmative grunt, Bogo gestured towards the only other chair in the room. "Alright, have a seat."

As the fox and bunny did so, Chief Bogo could feel the hesitancy and the nervousness radiating off of the two mammals. Heck, even Hopp's nose was twitching furiously! The chief had been in this position enough times to know how nervous an officer can be in his presence. Remaining completely silent and talking first were both terrible ways to go about these situations, he learned. So putting the ball in the other side of the court was Bogo's best option.

And he did just that. "Whenever you're ready, Officers," the cape buffalo stated.

The effect was immediate. Nick's shoulders relaxed somewhat as he sighed, and Judy's nose twitched much less than it did earlier. Most of their hesitation evaporated, creating a slightly calmer environment for all three mammals.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Nick spoke up. "First off, we have a confession to make."

The only response from Chief Bogo was an inquisitive eyebrow raise.

Taking this as his cue to continue, Nick uncomfortably cleared his throat and spoke again, "Officer Hopps and I have taken it upon ourselves to investigate the Victor Wilde Case."

Bogo's other eyebrow joined its counterpart, and a slight frown completed the buffalo's surprised expression. He wasn't surprised with the information; he was surprised to see something he'd never thought existed in Nick's eyes. There was hesitancy and even a small amount of fear, but the most prominent factor was trust. Nick trusted Chief Bogo. This phrase chose to repeat itself inside the buffalo's mind, engraving it into his memory. How he should react to it, however, was still undecided.

Nick sighed. "Hopps and I understand the need for caution when dealing with this case and the consequences of being careless. The extent of our investigation was talking with my mother and – while on patrol – scouting out any possible haunts of Victor Wilde's." The professional tone Nick had adopted unnerved the chief; it felt _wrong_ to hear the quick-witted, sarcastic fox talk like this.

The fox paused, letting the buffalo know that he could speak now. After a beat of silence, Bogo did just that. "Did you learn anything of consequence?" he asked.

This was clearly not the answer Nick was expecting, so the fox stammered as he formed his reply, "W-well, we learned that my father used to be a tailor before being driven out of his job by some of the city officials. Since then, he had found other forms of work and eventually left my family. As for his favorite haunt, we found a small cafe called The Den just off of 26th Street."

"Anything else?" Bogo asked after a beat of silence.

Nick nodded. "I convinced Officer Hopps to join me in a," he paused, "temporary return to my previous occupation. My plan was to sell pawpsicles outside of The Den in hopes to see Victor and confirm the legitimacy of this location as a lead. Contact was made with the suspect, though while my guard was down, a wolf managed to sneak up and steal my wallet. I gave chase, leaving Victor behind. Hopps was able to cut off the wolf after a short time, knocking my wallet from his paws. However," Nick paused again and seemed to wrestle with something. Bogo allowed the fox to sort through his feelings; if it was enough to make Nick hesitate, then it was something serious, "the-the wolf used my partner as a distraction to get away. When we realized this, we decided to report it in. It was then I found that I had lost my radio, perhaps during the chase." With that, the fox fell silent.

"Nick," Judy said, placing a paw on the fox's arm, "I'm as much to blame for this as you; there's no need to try to make it look like it was all _your_ idea."

"She's right, Wilde," Bogo said, the grumble of his voice masking any emotion. Retrieving one of the recent files on top of his desk, Bogo glanced between both mammals. "This is a log of 911 calls within the last few hours," he said, holding the sheet of paper for both mammals to see. "We received a total of ten calls in quick succession. Luckily, none of them were emergencies. In fact, each one was forwarded to me from Clawhauser. Apparently, ten different mammals saw you two in different parts of town – and I quote from _one_ individual – 'gallivanting rather close to the wrong side of the law.'"

Setting the sheet of paper down, Bogo studied the horrified expressions on Nick and Judy's faces. Nick's bright red fur was paled due to the now-white skin underneath, and Judy's nose once again twitched furiously.

"I hope you two understand the situation that I was placed in," Bogo said, his voice sharpening as he glanced between the two, small mammals before him. "Without _any_ idea of what you two were doing, I had to cover for you and assure those civilians that this was all part of an ongoing investigation. And now I'm to hear that this was for an investigation that you two _weren't_ supposed to be on!"

Nick and Judy both lowered their gazes, shame etched into their features. "I hope you two understand how lucky you are that nothing of great consequence happened because of this! Despite this, you two will still be disciplined."

Another beat of silence went by before the buffalo spoke, but it felt like an eternity for the fox and bunny. The anticipation of the promised punishment was nearly painful.

"You two will be working on paperwork until Clawhauser is relieved of his shift," Bogo said finally, breaking the tense silence. "Before I dismiss you, though, I need to clarify: this leniency is _not_ to be expected should you disobey my orders again. I fully understand your desire to be on this case, I do, but like I said, we _cannot_ allow anything that could turn all of Zootopia on its ear!" Nick and Judy remained silent, their gazes still downcast. "This leniency is an opportunity for you two to process and understand the consequences of your actions," The chief paused one last time, allowing his words to sink in. "It is also to show you that I still trust you two."

When Nick and Judy looked up at the Bogo, they were surprised to see a faint light of sympathy behind his stern glare. The shame was very much still felt by the fox and bunny, but a particular, warm feeling soon entered them as well.

"Now!" Bogo said, slightly startling both cops with his suddenness. "Get out of my office! You've got quite a bit of paperwork ahead of you; Clawhauser gets off late tonight."

Nick and Judy gave Bogo a salute before they hopped off of the chair and exited the office. When the door closed, Bogo took a deep sigh; _not_ yelling at his officers was more taxing than actually yelling at them. His gaze fell upon two folders atop the other files on his desk, causing him to sigh again.

Picking up the two folders, Bogo once again looked through their contents. Once again, he was tasked with the question that had been eating at him for a while now:

Were they ready?

* * *

Nick and Judy stepped into their shared office, closing the door behind them. The short walk from Bogo's office to here was spent in silence, both mammals trying to process the events of their talk with the chief. Neither mammal truly knew how to react to what Bogo had said.

Having grown up as he had, Nick knew no one trusted him; he could put on a friendly face that was good for business, but no matter how likable his outward appearance was, he was still considered shifty and up to no good. Long since having built his entire lifestyle around this fact, Nick wasn't prepared when he earned Judy's trust, but earn it he did. That was enough for him, Nick had thought. He didn't feel like he had to go around and make an effort to win the hearts of every mammal in Zootopia.

Fortunately for him, that didn't stop mammals from trusting him. Knowing that Bogo trusted him was great enough, but knowing that even after his and Judy's blunder today, the chief still had faith in them. Unfortunately, this made the fox's guilt about the events of earlier today worse.

When Bogo had first told her that he saw her not only as a legitimate cop, but a _good_ one, Judy was too focused on having ruined the lives of hundreds of innocent predators to really drink it in. Now that Judy had learned that the chief still thought highly of Nick and her after their direct disobedience today, this same feeling was lost under a wave of guilt.

Did Judy blame Nick for what had happened? Not one bit. Neither of them had thought of the possible consequences as they were too focused on actually getting ahead in the Victor Wilde Case – a case that they were not assigned to. Judy's stomach dropped a bit lower, and her ears folded behind her head as another wave of guilt washed over her.

The only sound in the small office was the faint ticking of the clock that hung on the wall though it was soon joined by the gentle padding of Judy's feet on the carpet floor. With a tired sigh, Judy sat on the couch that sat to the left of the room; with how hard the cushions were, the action was _almost_ uncomfortable.

Nick chose to stand; sitting felt like an injustice to the active nature of his thoughts at the moment. A few more seconds of silence went by between the two mammals, neither one sure of what to talk about.

"I'm sorry, Carrots," Nick said, finally breaking the uneasy silence. "That was a dumb move on my part."

Judy gave another sigh. "Nick, you and I both know it was _our_ fault; not _yours,_ not _mine. I_ wanted to be on the case, and _you_ agreed to help. So _please_ stop trying to take all the blame!"

Having grown used to her happy, optimistic attitude, Nick was taken aback by Judy's exasperated tone of voice. Studying his wife, Nick was equally surprised to see Judy so _tired_.

Without another word, Nick made his way to the sofa and sat beside the bunny before gently wrapping his arms around her. He felt Judy melt into his touch, her muscles relaxing as she let out a content hum.

"That was probably the most taxing talk with Bogo I've ever had," Judy complained, her tone sincerely tired. "It makes me _miss_ his yelling rants."

Nick's paw slowly stroked Judy's back, and Nick felt the last waves of tension gradually leave the bunny. "That, and his inspirational talks," the fox chimed in, placing a kiss on Judy's head. "I didn't know I could still feel guilt, but, like always, I'm full of surprises."

When he felt Judy chuckle, a warm smile crept over Nick's muzzle. The two fell into silence once again, though it was a little lighter than before. Nick continued to stroke Judy's back as he occasionally planted a gentle kiss on her head. Judy lost herself in the gentle caresses of her mate, and soon the whole ordeal was driven from her mind.

Looking down at the bunny in his arms, Nick couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty again. Three years ago, he had helped Judy keep her badge; today, he had helped her nearly lost it. Whether it was both of their faults or not, Nick felt like he had to make it up to her.

Nick carefully removed the bunny from his side, though he almost stopped when he heard her whimper of complaint. Getting up from the couch, Nick walked over to his desk and sat down before getting to work.

"What are you doing, Nick?" Judy asked, looking to the fox who left her.

Nick looked over his shoulder. "As _my_ part of the apology, I'm getting some of your paperwork done for you," he said. He held up a paw to keep Judy from talking as he continued, " _You_ can apologize to me by keeping me company. Sound fair enough?"

"No," Judy replied as she walked over to Nick, a faint smile on her face. Pulling her own chair over, Judy used the extra height to comfortably wrap her arms around Nick's neck. "But I'm not complaining."

Nick gave an amused snort. "Glad to hear that I'm not terrible company," he joked after turning back to his work.

"You misunderstand me," Judy began, "I'm not complaining because I know it won't get me out of this office any sooner. I can't _wait_ to be outta here!"

"I'm still good company, right?" Nick asked innocently.

Judy paused for a moment, pretending to think it over. "I can't decide just yet," she joked before rubbing her cheek along Nick's. A satisfied smile crept over her muzzle as Nick paused in his work, his eyes wide and his heartbeat racing. "Though, I'm sure your crafty mind can think of _something_ to help pass the time once we get all of this paperwork done."

" _If_ we get this done," she heard Nick mumble, causing her to snicker before placing a kiss on Nick's cheek. True to her "promise," Judy refused to leave Nick's side as she watched her fox work in the reports; more than once did she point something out to help him fill out the form to _her_ standards.

The next few hours were spent in general silence, though the room was filled the with the sounds of pen on paper and the sounds of the chairs creaking under the weight of both mammals. However, Nick's mind was anything _but_ silent; he found it very hard to focus on the work at hand.

Their conversation with Bogo continued to repeat itself in the fox's mind, each repetition clearer than the last. Everything that Bogo had said had made an impact on Nick, but what the buffalo _didn't_ say was weighing on him more. Bogo _could have_ fired them, that much was certain. What Nick was worried about – _had been_ worrying about for the past few hours – was how careless he had been to even warrant being this close to termination.

 _Are there other things that hurt Judy that I don't know that I'm doing?_ Nick thought, a sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Thinking long and hard, Nick found that he couldn't pinpoint anything specific that could give an answer to this question. This fact didn't soothe him; in fact, it reminded him of how oblivious he had grown to the harm he inadvertently caused other mammals.

Another thought raced through Nick's mind: why hadn't he thought of this sooner? Why hadn't he asked her about this _years_ ago? As he asked himself these questions, the answer hit him hard in the face, _Because you're a dumb fox, Nick._

Nick nodded in response to his mind; he couldn't argue there. Luckily for the dumb fox, Bogo had unintentionally given Nick and Judy the perfect opportunity to talk this out, and that was _exactly_ what he was going to do.

Judy long since unwrapped her arms from around Nick's neck and moved to sit beside her fox, working on some of the reports; she had convinced Nick to let her do her own work. Nick turned to the bunny, and, clamping down on the wave of nervousness that decided to rush through his body, cleared his throat to catch Judy's attention. It worked.

Looking up to see green eyes inquisitively staring at her, Judy set her pen down and asked, "What's up, Nick?"

The awkwardness of what he was about to ask began to fight against Nick, but he was determined to have this conversation; at the very least, he would be able to focus on his work again. Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, Nick began, "Judy, I've wanna ask you something that I _should've_ asked a _long_ time ago; like, a _really_ long time ago."

"Okay?" Judy asked, slightly concerned; it wasn't often that Nick started a serious conversation, let alone be a _part_ of one.

"And I want you to be as honest as possible when you answer, okay?" Nick asked, his tone sincerely earnest.

Judy nodded and focused her full attention on her partner.

Nick paused for a moment, trying to piece together his thoughts before even attempting to talk. Finally, his gazed turned back to Judy as he slowly asked, "Is there anything that I do that you don't like?"

The question caught Judy a bit off guard, and the resulting silence left the question hanging in the air. Nick gazed expectantly at his partner, waiting for her answer with a nervous eagerness. Judy, on the other hand, didn't know quite how to respond to the question, let alone what Nick meant by asking it.

"What?" Judy asked quietly, her eyes alight with confusion.

Nick let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, the sound coming off as exasperated. To quickly make up for the false tone, Nick asked again, "Is there anything that I do – be it my teasing or my name-calling – that you don't actually like?"

Before Judy felt comfortable enough to answer, she felt that she needed to figure out Nick's _exact_ reason for asking this. She started by asking that exact question.

Nick looked a little hurt that she wasn't answering, but complied to reply, "Look, Judy, today I nearly got us fired because of my general carelessness. Knowing how careless I've been in the past, I began to realize that there might be some things that I do in general that aren't as _great_ as I think they are."

Judy's expression softened at this, bringing her to lean forward and place a gentle paw on Nick's arm. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Nick.

"Before you go saying how 'perfect I am,' or 'there isn't a part of you that I would change,' please think about where I'm coming from, Judy," Nick began, his tone firm but gentle. "I've never had anyone love me like you, so I don't want to screw it up! I can't not screw it up, however, if you don't tell me what _really_ bugs you about me – if that makes any sense."

Judy paused for a moment before it finally clicked, and when it did, her ears folded back behind her head. She wasn't the type of bunny who was comfortable with telling someone of their faults, and telling Nick was no exception. Having been his partner for three years and his wife for one, she had long since gotten over his quirks, telling herself that those were what she loved about him the most. Now, however, she realized that she loved her _fox_ the most, _not_ some silly character flaw.

"I promise not to be mad at you, Judy," Nick said, drawing the bunny from her thoughts. Gazing up, Judy couldn't help but snicker at the mischievous light in Nick's emerald eyes; her unease immediately fled at the sight, leaving Judy with a content, safe feeling.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Judy innocently joked, "What was the question?"

Nick rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the smile on his muzzle from Judy. "We'll start easy, then," he said, turning back to Judy. "Are there any nicknames that I use that you don't like? For example, 'Carrots'?"

Judy had her answer almost immediately. "Carrots doesn't annoy me like it did when we first met. In fact – and this is gonna sound cheesy – it feels like every time you call me Carrots, you also say 'I love you,'" an embarrassed blush filled her cheeks, and Judy pulled her ears over her head to hide her face. She did, however, continue, "It feels affectionate, which is silly because to any other bunny, that would be an insult."

She felt like she waited for an agonizing eternity for Nick's answer, though it was only a few moments in reality. Because she was hiding behind her ears, she didn't see the warm smile on Nick's muzzle. "Alright, so 'Carrots' is 'safe,'" Judy heard Nick say. "What about the others, like 'Fluff' or 'Judes?'"

"You've _never_ called me Judes!" she said, a smile on her muzzle as she released her ears.

Nick shrugged. "Perhaps, but who's to say I won't start using it. If I do, I need to know if it's alright."

Judy huffed, though the smile never left her face. "Well, I don't like them as much as I like 'Carrots,' but I'm not against them; they still hold a feeling of affection. However, if I have to be honest, I would prefer you use 'Carrots' more than the others," she answered.

Nick nodded. "Got it," he said, pretending to write down notes on his paw. "Use 'Carrots' more. Now," he said, his gaze returning to Judy's, "what about teasing. Do you ever feel that I tease too much?"

For this, Judy had to think for a few moments. It wasn't that she didn't have her answer; no, she wanted to put it to the right words, and _that_ was something that took a little extra thought.

"Well, _honestly_ , I don't mind your teasing much," she slowly began, carefully choosing her words as she went on. "I know you're not trying to be _mean_ , though you and I both know that you mean to be _irritating,_ " she sent a knowing glance at the fox, who replied with a sheepish grin. "However, there have been times that I wanted to have a deeper conversation with you, and – for all I know it could have been out of habit – you shrug it off with a sarcastic joke. I am aware that it comes with the 'Nick' that you created from your past, but I would like to get to know the _real_ Nick."

Judy intently watched Nick as she finished, hoping to read his expression for any hint of what he was thinking. Though she couldn't figure out anything, Judy could tell that Nick wasn't angered or hurt by her answer. In fact, he looked rather relieved, if anything.

After a beat of silence, Nick spoke up, "I'm sure the real Nick would like to meet you too, Judy, but I don't think he's strong enough to get rid of the mask." There was, undoubtedly, a waver in his voice as he said this which pulled on Judy's heart.

Judy gave her fox a warm smile and stood up in her chair, bringing herself to eye level with Nick. "Well, then it's a good thing that all he has to do is ask for help," she said, touching her nose to Nick's. "I'm sure there's _someone_ around here who would be willing."

She pulled her fox in for a passionate kiss, hoping to convey the entirety of her message with this act. As Nick's arms tightened around her form and pulled her closer, Judy knew that he completely understood what she wanted to say.

They parted for air, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. Neither needed nor wanted to say anything, for they felt that words would just ruin the moment.

They had remained this way for another few moments before Nick thanked Judy for humoring him and returning to his work. Judy did too, though she had a _much_ more comfortable seat now. She and Nick continued to file reports, but as long as Judy was in Nick's arms, the long day didn't seem so bad after all.

* * *

In Zootopia, most criminals are kept in the main prisons at each Precinct for convenience, cost effectiveness, and the fact that most criminals were dangerous to warrant any other course of action. This did not mean that the city had no facility for the "special" cases. In fact, the reason why most criminals weren't dangerous enough was for _fear_ of the dreaded Cliffside Asylum.

After the arrest of Lionheart and the facility was emptied, the ZPD jumped at the opportunity of refitting the looming building into a high-security prison. It was far from the eyes of the public, and should any inmate somehow escape, he would have a hard time getting back to the city without being caught again.

The downside, though, was the large amount of time it took to transport prisoners to this location. The hidden roads were devoid of anything interesting, and the drivers soon grew bored and tired; it didn't help that they had to drive at night to avoid detection by the public or worse, anyone with an interest in the criminals being transported.

At the Tundratown Penitentiary, a small group of officers was preparing for such a drive. Four cruisers were to accompany the prison van, but that didn't help the feeling of uneasiness that each driver had. The sight of four criminals – three of them muzzled – being harshly shoved towards the van drew the eyes of the other officers.

Dallas, Chains, Wolf, and Hoofston took their seats in the back of the large van, and their cuffs were chained to hooks in the floor; comfortable movement was not allowed.

"All right you lot!" cried the sergeant, an elephant who's features put him in the state of a permanent frown. "Let's get this show on the road! I'm sure our _guests_ would love to have a change of scenery as soon as possible!"

Some movement to the right caught the elephant's attention. A uniformed wolf – a rookie, by the looks of him – was struggling with a muzzled fox. The fox was resilient, but a well-placed punch in the gut rendered all attempts of escape useless. The elephant smiled when the blow landed audibly.

"Sorry sir," the wolf said, his voice promising a richness that only came with age. "Just, having a little trouble with this one."

"I can see that, Rookie," the sergeant bellowed. "Get him in there; I'm sure he'll enjoy the company."

The rookie officer non-too-gently shoved the fox into the van and attached the chains to his cuffs. With an extra tug to make sure that it wasn't going anywhere, the wolf walked out of the van.

"Get moving!" the sergeant barked after the van doors were closed. "I want that _scum_ out of my ward!"

He turned and stormed off as several of the officers got ready for the long, boring drive to Cliffside Asylum. Four cruisers were to accompany the van, each carrying two officers. Once the arrangements were made, the caravan of vehicles set off into the night.

The ride was quiet and cold as the snow softly fell on top of the silent parade. The road was not smooth, and after the umpteenth violent jostle, the five criminals began to think that the drivers of the van were purposefully hitting every pothole possible.

Nothing was said between the cuffed mammals, though the first four were rather wary of the other fox. They all felt a sense of unease, and Chains, the massive bear, faintly inched away from the fox.

No other cars were seen for miles off, for the chill of Tundratown was nearly too much to bear at this time of night. The wind howled against the metal cars but could do nothing to the officers inside, each of which was enjoying the warmth emanating from the built-in heaters. These heaters, however, did not reach the back of the prison van. Before long, the breaths of each convict could be seen as a cloud of fog.

The next few minutes were passed by in silence, and nothing had changed except that the mysterious fox's ear seemed to be twitching rather uncontrollably. It was only after he gave an affirmative hum – seemingly to himself – before he spoke up.

"Weren't you the guys that robbed that bank the other day?" he asked, his voice surprisingly clear despite being muzzled; he must have quite a bit of experience with the device.

However, the other predators that were muzzled hadn't as much experience, so they couldn't talk. Hoofston, the zebra, answered for them, "What's it to you?"

The fox chuckled at the cold tone of voice. "Oh, is _that_ any way to treat your benefactor?" he asked, a dark gleam in his eyes.

The four other mammals raised their eyebrows in confusion, but none of them were convinced. "Benefactor!?" Hoofston coldly echoed. "Who the hell do you think you are!?"

When the fox smiled, the blood of each mammal ran cold. It was a joyless smile that told the other four convicts that this attitude was _not_ tolerated. Suddenly, the van hit a rather large pothole hard enough to make the small, fluorescent like above flicker and shut off for a moment. When it turned back on, the fox stood before them, his cuffs, chains, and muzzle lying harmlessly on the ground.

Each of the four mammals stared at the discarded devices in amazement before turning back to the fox. "Now, we'll try this again," Victor said, his tone calm as he placed his paws behind his back. "Is that any way to treat your benefactor?"

The four mammals hesitated, unsure if saying anything would release the wrath of this mammal. Finally, Hoofston spoke up, "Wh-who the hell are you?" his tone was entirely hesitant and inquisitive, nothing like the cold voice he had used before.

Victor chuckled darkly. "I'm tired of repeating myself, Hoofston," he answered. "However, we can skip the _pleasantries_ and get on to business!" He clapped his paws together. "How would you four like to get a free ticket to _not_ stay at the Cliffside Asylum?" Victor's salesman tone threw off the other four convicts, resulting in a hesitant air about them.

"We don't have all day, guys," Victor said impatiently, casually glancing at his wrist despite there not being a watch there. "According to my sources, we'll be reaching the maintenance tunnel in five minutes; it's now or never."

"Alright fine!" Hoofston cried; he was getting fed up with the games this fox was playing.

Victor smiled. "Good," he said before placing a paw to his ear. "Richard, they've accepted."

Confusion could once again be read on the faces of each of the four convicts, and Victor drank in their expressions with glee. "This is the fun part," he said as he casually sat himself down.

Hoofston opened his mouth to ask what the fox meant when the lights suddenly went out, bathing the room in pure darkness. The vehicle seemed to slow down and drift to the left before suddenly speeding up again. After a few moments, the lights came back on. Nothing had changed, though Victor's grin was very broad now.

"See?" he asked as he once again stood up. "Wasn't that fun?"

"What happened?" Hoofston asked.

Victor sent a sharp glare at the zebra. "None of your concern," he said coldly, his emerald eyes glinting in the artificial light. In fact, they looked a _lot_ like a certain fox that the zebra knew. . .

"Besides," Victor suddenly said with a clap, startling the zebra out of his thoughts. "A magician never reveals his tricks! But for now, we can move on to business; I'm sure you're all _dying_ to know what I have planned for you!"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Hoofston said coldly; he was quickly growing tired of this fox. "Or, more specifically, what do we get for working for you?"

Victor's smile widened, but there was no cheerful emotion attached to it. The fox's tone of voice was as cold as his smile, sending a shiver up the spine of the four convicts in the room.

"Revenge."


	7. On the Hunt

**Yes, this is Chapter 7, not 8. I realized that I'm starting to rush these chapters, resulting in half-baked ideas and scenarios that haven't reached their full potential. I don't want to do that to you guys, so I'm gonna start taking more time with my chapters, and I'm even enlisting the help of a beta reader to make sure the quality of the chapters that I send you is top-notch! As for the re-posted chapter, I re-wrote most of the chapter to fix the problems that it had. So, I hope you enjoy the newly-developed Chapter 7, and I hope you enjoy the story from here on out since everything won't be as rushed anymore!**

The rain never stopped at Cliffside Asylum, nor did the sun ever shine. No one exactly knew why, but then again, it fit the character of the prison. The dark, brooding atmosphere was enough to suck the joy out of any of the inhabitants, continuously repeating the same message over and over: you will never escape.

The warden of the prison prided himself on his ability to keep that motto alive and well, though he wasn't dumb about it. Bartholomew Peterson grew up studying the inner machinations of prison facilities, hoping to one day play a part in taking care of the criminals of Zootopia. Watching a lot of prison break movies also helped hone his tastes and solidify the _exact_ prison the wannabe warden wanted.

Despite being a brown hyena – a species that was often stereotyped as the kind of mammal to laugh at a bad joke, Bartholomew worked hard in his studies, never losing sight of his dream. Thanks to a certain fox and bunny saving the city about three years ago, the hyena got his wish: he was warden of Cliffside Asylum. He personally hired his staff, meticulously making sure that they were up to his standards. Because of the warden's strict rules, none of the prison faculty could be bribed or tricked by the inmates, and none of the prisoners were abused by the faculty. It was Bartholomew's dream prison.

While waiting in the chilling rain, a smile crept over the hyena's muzzle as he reminded himself of this fact. The rain soaked through the warden's fur, dampening his dirt-colored fur as he awaited the arrival of four new convicts.

Thunder rumbled above, bringing with it more rain. "Sir, maybe you should wait inside," said one of the two guards.

"I'm all right," Bartholomew growled in reply, his voice having been damaged by second-hand smoke, no thanks to his father. Truth be told, the rain never bothered the hyena despite the fact that his species usually lived in dry climates.

The bridge was bathed in pulsating red and blue lights as the police cruisers stopped before the main gate. They were quickly let in, and before long, the prison van was parked before the front doors of the towering prison.

The warden walked around the van with his paws clasped behind his back and a solemn expression on his face; you have to make a lasting first impression to be feared and respected by these prisoners. Bartholomew nodded towards the door, and his two guards immediately opened the doors. . .

. . . and revealed four frightened mammals fighting against their restraints. The hyena drank in the sight with some confusion: the wide eyes, the bristled fur, the desperate desire to be free of their chains; this was not the typical behavior of new arrivals. Having been practiced in the removal of muzzles, Bartholomew quickly and carefully freed each of the muzzled mammals; coughing fits racked their bodies as the metal devices harmlessly fell to the ground.

"What's your name?" the hyena asked, turning back to the zebra.

The prey mammal was slightly startled by the jackal's harsh voice before answering, "P-Princeton! My name is Princeton."

"What are you doing here, Princeton?" Bartholomew growled, leaning forward. "I was told that four _convicts_ were arriving, and you guys don't seem like the type."

"Trust me; we didn't know we'd be sent here!" Princeton replied, waving his hooves in a defensive gesture. "We were just told to play the scapegoat for a bit, and then we'd be free!"

The hyena raised an eyebrow at this. "Who told you?" he asked.

The zebra gulped before answering, "Some fox! He paid us good money, too, or else we wouldn't have agreed to this!"

"Obviously," Bartholomew muttered. A deep, guttural growl emanated from the jackal's throat as he turned and exited the van, leaving the four phonies to their state of confusion. To one guard, the warden ordered, "Get these four inside and get them fed, but don't put them in a cell; they're our _guests_ for now."

The guard nodded and saluted in response before entering the van himself. Bartholomew then turned to the other guard and ordered, "Get Chief Bogo on the phone; we may need the ZPD's finest for this case."

* * *

"Are we in agreement?" Victor asked once he finished going over the plan. All four convicts, now free of their chains and muzzles, nodded. The fox flashed a toothy smile before continuing, "Perfect!"

The van shuddered before coming to a halt. Victor stood up, brushing off his orange jumpsuit. The doors opened, revealing a uniformed wolf; the same wolf that originally escorted Victor into the van earlier that night.

"Richard!" Victor happily greeted as he stepped onto solid ground. "How was the drive?"

The wolf chose not to answer his boss and instead turned his head towards the four other convicts, who were now staring curiously at the wolf. When he spoke, his previously "high" voice was replaced by his usual, deep tone, "Do you really think that these four are fully prepared, Victor?"

The fox nonchalantly shrugged before stripping himself of the orange suit; he now wore a brown business vest with a blue tie. "Prepare for what I've already explained to them: yes," in a lower voice, Victor added, "For the end-game: not even close."

Richard merely nodded in response before finally addressing the four mammals. "If you would, we have some pressing business to attend to," the wolf beckoned with his paw to emphasize his point.

One by one, each of the four mammals exited the van. Out of habit, Wolf took a whiff of the air around Richard as he passed by, and his eyebrows shot up in response; there was an odd scent to the predator. Dallas noticed it too, and the fox and wolf almost immediately began discussing it amongst themselves as the group walked along.

"Excuse me!" Victor called back to the two predators, walking backward at the head of the group. "Unless it's something you want to share with the _entire_ class, I would strongly avoid _any_ and _all_ secret huddles; those are my job, thank you very much!" Despite the teasing language, Victor's tone of voice was enough to silence any further discussion on the odd-smelling wolf.

The group continued to walk through the night, and several things hit the four convicts. First, they were out in the open. Grassy meadows sprawled out in every direction, and the bright skyline of City Center could be seen in the darkness. Secondly, they seemed to be heading for an enormous warehouse that loomed ahead. The lack of light kept most of the details hidden, but from the many darker shadows, the four criminals could tell that the roof was peppered with holes, and many windows were missing from the building's facade.

The next few minutes were passed in silence, though the sound of paws on gravel accompanied the caravan of mammals. Hundreds of thoughts rushed through the minds of each convict, but Hoofston couldn't contain his any longer. Picking up his pace to match Victor's, the zebra bent over and asked, "So, how _did_ you manage to get us here?"

Victor scoffed before turning to the large, striped mammal. "Come on, Hoofston!" the fox said with a mock tone of exasperation. "A magician _never_ reveals his secrets! And after having your asses handed to you by a fox and bunny officer, I don't think you'd be able to fully comprehend how genius my scheme was!"

Drinking the zebra's darkened eyes and sneering snout, Victor fought back a laugh. _This was going to be_ too _much fun!_

They reached the warehouse before long, and the building looked more decrepit up close. Paint peeled off of the rotten wood that lined the walls, and the smell of dust and rot assaulted the noses of each mammal. Without hesitation, Victor and Richard entered the warehouse; the four convicts weren't as eager.

"Hurry up, or you'll wish you'd gone to the asylum!" Victor called from inside; his dark tone was enough to wake the mammals from their stupor and get them moving.

After crossing the threshold, the four convicts were met with a sight they didn't expect to see again so soon: the Tundratown Penitentiary.

The gray walls loomed before them, reminding them of the chilly nights that they spent in their cells. A large group of uniformed officers bustled around the large room, going about their business and . . . deconstructing the room around them?

"Come on people!" Victor called out to the group of bustling animals, the clapping of his paws echoing through the large space. "We need to clean up before opening!"

A large elephant lumbered towards the group, his perpetual frown drilling holes into whoever it was directed at. The four convicts involuntarily back away from the giant pachyderm; it was the sergeant that had them shoved none-too-gently into the van earlier.

"What are _you_ four still doing here?" he asked accusingly, the deep bass of his voice shaking the very core of every mammal in the general vicinity. "I can't believe you _scum_ bags were smart enough to escape!"

"Now Rufus, there's no need to go scaring our guests like that," Victor chided, though his amused grin betrayed him.

Rufus's face morphed into a mischievous smile as he leaned back and turned towards the well-dressed fox. "Sorry Vic, couldn't help it."

Victor chuckled and shook his head as the massive elephant lumbered off to help take apart one of the fake walls in the room. In fact, it seemed that everything that was Tundratown Penitentiary in the room was being stored away.

As he turned towards the four convicts, Victor relished the slack-jawed expressions on each face. The reveal was always his favorite part. "Isn't it great?" he asked, his grin evolving into a toothy smile. "I _love_ what a few simple cues can make a mammal believe!"

"You mean. . ." Hoofston trailed off, his eyes drinking in everything around him.

Victor nodded. "Yep! You were never in the Tundratown Penitentiary! In fact, you were never in Tundratown at all! A bunch of air conditioners blowing at full blast is quite enough to remind someone of the chilly district, and keeping you guys in your cells certainly helped us with what we had to make sure looked like the penitentiary."

"B-but how!?" Dallas asked, speaking up for the first time that night. "I mean, we were sent to the penitentiary after those officers stopped us!"

Victor chuckled. "Ah, well, you wouldn't have remembered it, but on your way to Tundratown, my _friends_ ," he gestured to the mammals behind him; they were nearly finished storing away the set pieces, "and I set up a little roadblock. It wasn't much, but it was enough to distract your escorts long enough to smuggle you guys out of the van and replace you with some random mammals I paid a good amount of money too."

"We _would've_ remembered something like that," Dallas grumbled.

"You're right about _that_ , but we needed you to believe that you were in prison – you wouldn't have agreed to _still_ work for me if that wasn't the case – so I had you tranquilized," Victor said indifferently as he turned around and began walking further into the open space.

"You _what!?_ " Wolf exclaimed angrily, his hackles raising.

Victor turned towards the wolf, a look of pure indifference in his emerald eyes. "Oh I forgot," he stated blandly before turning away, " _you_ had a terrible 'accident' with tranquilizers when you were a pup, right? Well, suck it up! You're all better now; don't go crying over spilled milk."

While Chains and Hoofston took to calming down Wolf, a uniformed rat scurried up to the group. "Ah, Richter, how are you?" Victor asked before leaning down so that the rodent could reach his ear. Dallas watched as the rat whispered something to Victor and noticed that Richter's black, beady eyes constantly glanced over at the four convicts.

"Mm, excellent," Victor said with a nod before straightening himself and turning towards the group. "My associate has told me that your rooms are ready. You may find them to be oddly familiar, so let me answer your question now: yes, they were once your 'cells,' but I've had them fitted with something a bit more comfortable."

Suddenly, a massive tiger stepped up to the group. The four convicts drank in the sight of the scar that ran down half of the cat's face; most of the criminals were somewhat intimidated. "If you would follow Tony to your rooms, you need your rest. I've got much to discuss with you tomorrow!" Victor said, and soon the four mammals were following Tony.

Once the four convicts were out of earshot, Richard turned to Victor. "Are you sure we can trust them with this?" the wolf asked, a faint tone of concern in his rich voice. "I mean, their capture at the Furs Zootopia Bank wasn't exactly _dignified_."

Victor snorted to keep from laughing, though his muzzle did split into a proud grin. "You're right, Wooly; my son and daughter-in-law did a number on them, that's for sure," Victor's expression hardened somewhat before the fox continued. "But _that's_ why we need these four; they'll prove if my son is _fully_ prepared for what I have in store for him."

Richard nodded, but he didn't seem so sure. Victor chose to ignore his friend's unease as he changed the subject. "You know, I've been _dying_ to meet this Mr. Big, Wooly. Do you think that you could get me an appointment with him tomorrow?"

"Of course, Victor," Richard said before turning and following the fox deeper into the warehouse.

* * *

Out of the corner of his eyes, which were hidden behind his reflective glasses, Nick watched Judy excitedly bounce next to him as they climbed the front steps of the ZPD. The fox's muzzle split into a warm grin, no thanks to Judy's incessant exuberance. After receiving a full night of rest, Nick and Judy were ready for whatever today had in store for them.

Apparently, "whatever" didn't take into account Bogo's "HOPPS! WILDE!" that greeted the fox and bunny the moment they entered the main lobby. Both cops visibly startled, they slowly turned their gazes up to the cape buffalo as they tried to figure out what they did wrong this time. All they were greeted with was a stern gesture to the office before the chief's massive figure disappeared behind the railing of the fourth floor.

Nick and Judy shared a nervous glance before silently making their way to the chief's office. Their anxiety grew with each passing second and came to a crescendo when they finally reached their destination. Before Nick or Judy could knock, Bogo beckoned them from inside, his deep voice shaking the glass in the door.

"Have a seat," the buffalo said, gesturing to the other chair.

With a strong sense of deja vu, Nick and Judy did as they were bidden. The two smaller mammals sat in silence as they awaited whatever the chief had in store for them.

Chief Bogo broke the silence with a tired sigh before turning his gaze to the two cops in front of him. "I'm sure you remember the four mammals you managed to arrest a few days ago, correct?"

Still unsure of where this conversation was going, the fox and bunny nodded. "Well, apparently, they've managed to escape and are now running free through Zootopia. We only learned of this last night from the warden of Cliffside Asylum, so _luckily_ this hasn't leaked out to the press. Unfortunately, this won't stay this way for long, and with the whole Victor Wilde debacle, this could prove very _troubling_ , to put it lightly."

"What do you want us to do?" Judy asked, her anxiety replaced with a professionalism that had been embedded into her thanks to the Academy.

"I want you and Officer Wilde to find them. As of right now, you are in charge of tracking these criminals down and getting them back. I had Clawhauser set up an appointment with the warden of Cliffside Asylum, which is in about an hour, so you'll be heading there first. After that, you're free to any of the ZPD's resources to gather any and all info on these four. And I expect that you won't _abuse_ these privileges, understood?"

The fox and bunny nodded in response. Even though both mammals were professional on the outside, Bogo could feel the sense of excitement radiating from Nick and Judy.

"Good. You two are dismissed. Clawhauser will hand you the case files, and then you two are to _immediately_ head over to the asylum to speak with the warden," Bogo ordered. As the fox and bunny turned to dismount off of the chair, Bogo added, "Remember, these guys are _very_ dangerous; the only reason you were able to stop them last time was because they had no idea you were there. I expect you to be on your guard at _all_ times, am I clear?"

Nick and Judy nodded, their expressions solemn. Bogo snorted, "Good. Now go! You've got work to do!"

With a salute, the fox and bunny climbed off of the large chair and exited the office. Stopping by the front desk to receive the needed files, Nick and Judy made their way to their cruiser. As he flicked his sunglasses back in place, Nick pulled the large car out of the parking lot and onto the streets of Zootopia.

"Alright, let's see what we got on these guys," Judy said more to herself as she set the case files on her lap. Nick curiously glanced out the corner of his eye but could do nothing more as he had to drive.

Judy thumbed through the first few pages held within the red folder, her skimming revealing that they had lists of all the _reported_ heists committed by the group in the past. The bunny stopped when a large mugshot of one of the four criminals caught her eye.

"Here we are," Judy said as she opened up the folder, revealing the rest of the information contained within. "Name: Dallas. Species: fox – duh. Date of birth: blah blah blah. Alright. Lived with his family for most of his childhood. At the age of ten, he and his best friend Hoofston started committing petty crimes – the two were very successful pickpockets. As they grew up, their crimes became worse, and they gained more recognition. Eventually, they were picked up by Mr. Big and worked for him for a few years. It's assumed that they met Chains and Wolf during that time, and after a while, the four left to make a name for themselves thanks to their contact, Baine. Dallas is not really a social mammal but a great team player."

Nick nodded to signal that he heard everything as Judy thumbed through the folder once more. Coming to the next convict, Judy opened the folder again. "Name: Chains. Species – let's skip this bit. Alright, so Chains was apparently orphaned at a young age. He transferred from orphanage to orphanage because he kept causing trouble – he's been in the juvenile detention facility quite a few times as well. Eventually, he made it into the military and based on his records, he was a great soldier. He was discharged for illegally selling military weapons on the black market and was soon picked up by Mr. Big. From there, he met Dallas, Hoofston, and Wolf before they all left and created their own group."

This time, Judy didn't even wait for Nick to make an affirmative signal as she once again thumbed through the folder. She quickly found the information on the next convict. "Name: Wolf. He and his family lived in a bad part of town, and his parents died due to tranquilizer overdose during a violent riot. The event traumatized the pup, leaving him in a terrified state for most of his life. It says that he visited many therapists and all of them eventually marked him off as safe to the public. It also says that he isn't a stable individual as his cheery attitude can quickly be replaced with violent outbursts. Mr. Big soon found him, and out of pity, gave him a job where his violent outbursts would be useful it seems. Wolf met the others during that time and so on and so forth.

"Last but not least," Judy mumbled as she skimmed through the rest of the folder to find the information on the last criminal, "we have Hoofston. It says here that he spent a lot of his childhood with Dallas. Heh, pred-prey relationships for the win, huh?" Judy's weak joke and smile were met with an equally weak and _very_ temporary smile from Nick. After clearing her throat to break the awkward beat of silence, Judy turned back to the folder. "Anyway, this is pretty much the same as what Dallas's report said: they grew up pulling off small crimes and were eventually picked up by Mr. Big before leaving with the others to start their little group." Judy sighed as she closed the folder and set it aside.

A few moments of silence passed as the two cops processed the news. While there were a lot of differences between the four mammals, there was one variable that remained constant across the board, and Nick and Judy were quick to notice it.

"Kinda interesting that Mr. Big played a big part in their lives, huh Carrots?" Nick stated, casting a sideways glance to his mate.

A determined gleam filled Judy's eyes as she turned to Nick. "Very. In fact, I think it warrants a visit to our favorite shrew, dontcha think?" Judy asked.

Nick smirked. "I agree, Carrots. What do you say to a small detour on our way home?"

"Sounds like a plan," Judy said, closing the case file and setting it off to the side. Upon looking out the window, she was surprised to find that they were already at the maintenance tunnel that would take them to the prison facility.

As the two cops drove up the slippery slopes leading up to the massive asylum, memories of their first case raced through their heads. When they finally reached the top of the incline, it didn't come as a surprise that the establishment looked exactly as it had three years ago. The cruiser inched up to the closed gate, and Nick rolled the window down before flashing his badge at the wolf inside the small booth. With a curt nod, the guard opened the gate, allowing the cops entrance.

The warden patiently waited at the entrance as the cruiser came to a stop a few yards away. As the fox and bunny exited the car, Bartholomew couldn't help but smile; these two mammals were responsible for helping him achieve his dream.

"Officers Wilde and Hopps," the hyena said, his gruff voice carrying over the rainfall, "May I be the first to welcome you _back_ to Cliffside Asylum!" He ended with a bow, much to the somewhat awkward confusion of the fox and bunny.

"Well, thanks, pal," Nick chuckled hesitantly, "but was all that really necessary?"

Bartholomew straightened himself, a coy grin on his muzzle as he shrugged. "Eh, not really; just felt like doing it. It's not often that I get actual visitors."

"I bet," Nick mumbled under his breath as he stared up the towering facility. From his angle, and with the added addition of perpetual rain, Nick could not see the top of the building. While the fox wasn't afraid of heights, the foreboding air about the place still managed to unnerve him.

The fox and bunny followed the hyena inside and were immediately met with a chilling blast of air. While Nick and Judy shivered at the drastic change in temperature, Bartholomew didn't seem fazed.

"We have fur dryers over there, and a few, clean brushes if you feel the need to dry off," the warden stated blandly – as if he had repeated this phrase many times before – as he pointed to the corners of the small room.

Not wanting to brush out tangles in his fur later, Nick took the hyena up on his offer. Having shorter fur, Judy stepped onto the dryer to simply warm herself up; she hated being wet and cold at the same time.

After their makeshift grooming session, Nick and Judy followed the warden further into the prison facility. Though the two officers knew they were heading to the warden's office, they couldn't help but feel like the hyena was showing off his prison as they seemed to take the long way around. Bartholomew led them through the cafeteria where prisoners and guards ate together; through the cell blocks where the imprisoned mammals stayed in actually livable conditions; and through the gymnasium where several mammals in gray jumpsuits were participating in a game of basketball. Whenever the warden passed by, Nick and Judy studied the demeanor of the prisoners. What they saw surprised them: every mammal held a certain respect for the hyena.

The small group finally made it to the warden's office, and the fox and bunny were surprised to meet four mammals who struck a startling resemblance to the four criminals the cops had previously thwarted.

"Have a seat," Bartholomew said as he took his own seat behind the mahogany desk. Nick and Judy did as they were bidden, both of them somewhat surprised that the seats were closer to their size; this allowed the fox and bunny to sit comfortably.

"You both know why you're here," the warden began, his pale, blue eyes carrying a serious light. Gesturing to the four other mammals in the room, Bartholomew continued, "but these four don't. I received _them_ in place of the four convicts you both arrested, which means that the _real_ criminals are freely lurking in the city somewhere."

The hyena then gave his full attention to the phony convicts. "I hope you'll be able to repeat to Officers Wilde and Hopps what you told me," he said, though the growl in his throat was anything but the gentle tone the statement should've been said in.

When the fakes nodded nervously, Bartholomew turned back to the fox and bunny cop. "I'll leave the rest up to you two; however you want to question them is fine by me."

Nick and Judy thought for a moment, glancing at each other as unspoken messaged traveled between the two of them. Finally, Judy piped up, "If it isn't too much trouble, we would like to question them one by one here in the office."

Bartholomew nodded. "Would you like to do this without my company, or will my presence here not distract you?"

Nick smirked. "Nah, you can stay. It's your office, but I have a feeling that with you around, these guys won't get _sidetracked_. Am I right, guys?" as he asked this, the fox turned to the other mammals, who nodded in response. The hesitant, nervous fear was evident in their eyes and made Nick almost feel sorry for them.

"Alright, Carrots, who are we gonna break first?" Nick asked the bunny, his tease earning him a stern glare from the rabbit.

"I think we should just go in order from right to left, starting with the fox," Judy said, pointing at the designated mammal.

Nick nodded in response as Bartholomew quietly ushered out the other three mammals and left them under the charge of two guards posted outside the door. The hyena shut the door behind him and again took his seat behind the desk.

With the absence of his temporary comrades, the fox began to nervously fidget in his seat as his ears and nose twitched uncontrollably. Sensing the predator's fear, Judy took to the Good Cop routine; she gently moved her chair to face the fox and put on her kindest demeanor.

"Hi!" she pleasantly greeted, beaming from ear to ear. "My name is Officer Judy Hopps. What's yours?"

The fox stammered as he answered, "M-Max."

"Okay Max," Nick said as he pulled his chair next to Judy's, "could you tell us why you're here?". . .

. . . "Cuz I made a stupid decision," the bear said shamefully as he hung his head.

"Why do you say that, Bill?" Judy asked, her pen and paper at the ready.

"Well, you see," Bill began as he nervously scratched at his neck, "I was in a bit of a rough spot at work. So when this fox comes up and offers me this huge wad of cash, how could I say no?". . .

. . . "What else did he say, Seth?" Judy asked the wolf sitting across from them.

Seth fidgeted nervously in his seat before continuing, "Well, he promised that even though we'd be going to jail, we wouldn't stay there long. His friends had been wrongly accused, and the evidence would soon prove their innocence. Once that happened, we'd be free to go."

"Didn't work out that way, huh?" Nick asked, a pitying light in his eyes. . . .

. . . "Not even kind of," Princeton, the zebra, stated dryly as he shook his head. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted him in the first place, but easy money is just that: easy money! I fell for his trick and paid the price. Imagine my surprise when we were all being hauled out on our asses to this place."

Silence fell over the room as Judy quickly jotted down the information in her notebook. Meanwhile, Nick leaned forward to ask the question that had been burning on his tongue for a while.

"Did you catch the name of the fox who offered you the job?". . .

. . .The answer from each mammal was, "No."

While Bartholomew arranged transportation for the four mammals, Nick and Judy stood outside the hyena's office, assessing the fruits of their labor.

"So we have four civilians who were asked to take the place of four convicts, and _none_ of them knew what was really in store for them," Nick repeated after having gone through Judy's notes.

The bunny officer nodded. "Yep. What's worse is that they don't even know the name of the fox; that would've been the _perfect_ lead!"

"Right, but, I have a pretty good idea, though," Nick stated dryly, his eyes staring down the hall. "And I think you do too."

Judy nodded in agreement as she put her notebook away. "Yep: Victor. But this doesn't tell us _anything_ ; we don't know where the criminals are, and we don't even know if Victor was involved in the first place!"

Nick nodded thoughtfully and opened his mouth to speak before being cut off by the office door opening. Bartholomew walked out and shut the door behind him before turning to the two cops. "Alright, I just got off the phone with Chief Bogo. He's sending some officers to pick these guys up," the hyena sighed, suddenly looking very tired. "I know I should feel bad for them, but they brought this on themselves; you don't just take random jobs from people, _especially_ foxes. No offense, Officer Wilde," Bartholomew quickly added, hoping he hadn't angered the cop.

"None taken," the fox said, giving an indifferent shrug. "I'm well aware of the stereotype placed on us, and I also know that some foxes live up to it. Can't go getting angry every time someone says something against us, whether intentional or not."

The hyena nodded knowingly. "I know what you mean; it was a _nightmare_ getting here, but it was worth it," Bartholomew paused for a second, seemingly debating on continuing the conversation before finally asking, "Is there anything you need, officers?"

The fox and bunny thought it over, glancing at each other in unspoken conversation. "No, I think that will be all," Judy finally said, breaking the silence as she turned to the jackal. "You've been a _huge_ help."

Bartholomew smiled. "Thanks. I don't know how much more help I can be, but if you two need anything from my department, don't be afraid to ask," he said as he handed a business card to the duo.

Nick took the card from the hyena before placing it in his pocket. "We'll be sure to take you up on that offer if needed. Thanks!"

With that, the fox and bunny made their way towards the exit – which was _much_ faster than the way they had come in earlier – and entered their cruiser. Before Nick started up the cruiser, he pulled out his wallet to place the business card inside. He paused when something caught his eye.

"What is it, Nick?" Judy asked, noticing the confused look on the fox's face as her partner stared at the contents of his wallet.

"This," Nick said, drawing out a white slip of paper. "This wasn't here before."

In the dim, noon light of Cliffside Asylum, the slip of paper looked plain and crumpled. Upon closer inspection, Nick found several black marks randomly strewn about the paper. "How did this get in there?"

"Let me see," Judy asked, holding out her paw. Nick handed the slip over before pocketing his wallet and starting the cruiser. The bunny held the tiny strip of paper close to her face, though any small details were obscured by the gloomy weather outside. "Do you think those marks are some kind of code?"

"I dunno," Nick said as he began the drive back to Zootopia. "If it is, I have no idea how to solve it."

Judy stared at the paper for a few more moments before giving up with a sigh of defeat. "Ah, come on, Carrots; don't be like that," Nick said, his muzzle splitting into his signature grin. "Every small item I suddenly find in my wallet isn't gonna be a clue for our case, no matter how obscure it could be!"

Nick had a point, and Judy knew it. So, with a smile, the bunny let go of her disappointment. "You're right, Nick," she said grateful for the shining sun as they passed into Tundratown.

"Besides, once we get home, I'll have a bit more time to check it out," Nick said as he flicked his sunglasses onto his snout. "That is, if I'm not too busy checking out a particular, _sexy_ bunny. . ." the fox allowed his voice to trail off as his snarky grin widened.

"Officer Wilde, I'll have you know that I'm _married_ , thank you very much!" Judy said in an extremely flabbergasted tone. To add dramatic flare, the bunny huffed and crossed her arms before turning away from the fox.

Nick chuckled at the act. "Well if I know one thing, that is one _lucky_ fella."

"Oh hush you," Judy said, the smile on her muzzle betraying her amusement. "Let's just get to Mr. Big's and then get home."

"Yes ma'am!" Nick said, giving the bunny a mock salute. The act earned him an eye roll and a pitying smile.

* * *

"Nicholas! Judith! For what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" the shrew exclaimed happily, his tiny muzzle beaming widely at the sight of the godparents of his granddaughter.

"Well, we were wondering if you could help us with a case," Judy began; while they knew they were welcome among the crime boss's presence, the fox and bunny still felt the need to be very polite and careful when dealing with the shrew.

The tiny mammal sighed. "Why can't you two just ever come to visit because you _want_ to?" he asked, his smile smaller than before.

When Judy opened her mouth to make an apology, the shrew held up a paw to silence her. "No need, my child; it was rhetorical. I understand what this could do to your reputations: the faces of the ZPD are friends with Zootopia's most feared crime boss!?" Mr. Big chuckled at his joke. "Though, with that Victor character running around my city, you're already treading that line more than you two care to be, correct?"

Nick and Judy nodded solemnly. "Enough of this talk," Mr. Big squeaked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group. "Come, tell me what you need help with."

"Well," Judy began as she stepped forward, showing the shrew the mugshots of the four criminals, "we're looking for these guys. Nick and I stopped them the other day, but they escaped confinement."

The shrew carefully studied the pictures, trying to dig up any memories associated with the convicts. "Ah yes, I remember those four," Mr. Big said with a disappointed tone after a while. "They knew how to get a job done, but they got greedy. Leaving to do their own thing seemed like a good idea, but they wouldn't listen to me. I knew that sooner or later they would get in over their heads."

"Could you tell us anything about them that might tell us where they are?" Judy asked, her ears having perked when the shrew recognized the criminals.

Silence fell over the room as the shrew thought for a moment. When Mr. Big shook his tiny head, Judy's ears drooped in disappointment. "I'm sorry, I have no idea where they are now," the shrew said, his tone apologetic. "And I'm sure anything else that I say will have already been said in that little folder of yours."

Her heart sinking, Judy stepped back and replaced the pictures. Nick looked at his partner; while he didn't feel as disappointed, he knew that Judy took her job _very_ seriously. "I'm sorry, my child," Mr. Big apologized again. "However, I have an idea of _who_ they're working for."

Judy's ears immediately perked at this, her spirits rising in hope again; Nick's ears perked up as well, and both mammals waited in anticipation for the shrew's information.

"Knowing them, they'll do anything for the highest bidder. Their contact, Baine, takes care of all the contracts that they're offered," Mr. Big stated. "If Victor is interested in them, then he's already got them working for him."

Nick's eyebrows raised at this. "You think they're with my dad?" Nick asked.

The shrew nodded. "My child, your father is desperate for attention; he's making his status known, but keep _s just_ enough hidden to get the public wanting _more_. You two arresting those criminals was a huge media story, so of course Victor is going to recruit them; if anything, it'll give him more news coverage."

"But why?" Judy asked, her curiosity peaked as much as Nick's. "That sounds like an easy way to get arrested!"

The shrew nodded. "If you're dumb, then yes. But Victor isn't dumb. He'll draw you in, make you look closely at his plans. By that time, it'll be too late because you'll have missed the bigger picture."

* * *

Nick and Judy entered their apartment, the fatigue of the day finally reaching them. After dressing into something more comfortable, mammals took to the couch and turned on Zetflix, giving their bodies a rest. At the same time, however, their minds raced at full speed.

"What a day, huh Carrots?" Nick asked in an effort to lighten the mood.

Judy squeezed herself closer to the body of her mate, his warmth radiating into every fiber of her body. "You can say that again. We didn't get _anywhere_ with the case!"

"Well, I wouldn't say _that_ ," Nick said, retrieving the slip of paper from his pocket. "We learned quite a bit about our 'friends,' and I have this."

Judy eyed the piece of paper curiously. "You said it probably didn't have anything to do with the case!"

Nick shrugged. "I could still be right about that, but I'm _very_ curious to see if this holds anything."

"Then let's get cracking!" Judy said as she shifted her weight, getting more comfortable next to her husband before pouring over the possible clue.

For the next ten minutes, the two mammals carefully studied the slip of paper together. They examined it from every angle, under the light and away from the light, up close or further away. No game-changing clue was revealed, though the fox and bunny found several creases lining the strip. Taking a closer look, Nick began to fold the paper along the creases; Judy intently watched the fox's makeshift origami session.

"Well now _this_ is interesting," Nick mumbled to himself after having finished folding.

"What?" Judy said, craning her neck to see; Nick's larger paws were hiding the paper from view. Lucky for her, she didn't have to wait long as Nick handed the paper over.

The folded paper was a misshapen rhombus about half the length of the unfolded sheet. Judy's eyes widened as she saw the true marvel of Nick's origami "skills"; the black marks lined up together perfectly, spelling out two words in clear print:

Wild Times.

 **Alright, so if you have any new thoughts, you can PM them to me if you've already reviewed this chapter. I'm sorry for the re-post, but it felt necessary for the story; there was too much that I didn't handle correctly that should've been handled better. This, plus the fact that I don't have enough of the next chapter ready to be posted right now means that I won't post the next chapter until next Friday. However, this _also_ means that from here on out, the story is going to be of the highest quality that I can give to you!**


	8. Wild Times

**I want to thank Blindstrike and Selaxes for agreeing to beta read for me; it means a lot to me, and I can already see the difference that these guys are making. They are both fantastic authors with stories that deserve a read.**

 **Blindstrike's Sustained Injuries isn't for the faint of heart, but is totally worth the effort! He's got amazing ideas and, of course, an emotional story that's had me on the edge of my seat since the very first chapter!**

 **Honestly, I can't recommend just** _ **one**_ **of Selaxes's stories, so I'll recommend them** _ **all!**_ **Just go to his profile and peruse his treasury of some of the best Zootopia stories out there!**

Irony was a cruel thing. Some could say it was karma's way of setting the balance; others, that it was the most efficient way to make fair an unfair situation. Mr. Big saw it as a combination of both.

The crime boss had found it humorlessly ironic that his family name was Big, yet he and his kin were shrews. Smaller mammals were always looked down upon, figuratively and literally. Before the Mammal Inclusion Initiative, the smaller rodents of Zootopia were thought to never amount to anything of real importance in the big city; the only "importance" that could be received was found in the pseudo city of Little Rodentia. Mr. Big's family, however, was an exception.

Looking back at family history, the Bigs had befriended the Bratvas, a polar bear family, when first arriving into Zootopia; the shrews were in need of a place to stay, and the bears were more than willing to share their space. While the relationship between polar bear and shrew grew, the relationship between city and shrew could never gain a firm foothold. This fact pushed the sons of both families to begin to act very recklessly, and the legacy of crime attached to the Big name was born.

Mr. Big was born into the crime family, and though he wasn't immune to the disrespect placed on species of his size, he worked hard to earn his recognition in the world. And earn it he did, being Zootopia's most feared crime boss. Victor, however, was quickly gaining an infamous status among both the civilian and the criminal public. Most knew him as a lucky upstart, but Mr. Big knew better.

Victor had been a part of a gang that was rivals with Mr. Big; the leader was Al Capaw. When the lion was finally arrested, Mr. Big knew that the gang would start to fizzle out; when Capaw died, the gang had all but disappeared. Now, however, the shrew saw that it hadn't died out, but was only hiding away while Victor took the reins.

 _But why?_ ' was the question that repeated itself in Mr. Big's head. To stay ahead of the game, the shrew made it his policy to know as much as possible about any and all contenders. Victor, however, was so shrouded in mystery that Mr. Big began to feel physically tired as he contemplated the fox.

Downing the last of his drink, Mr. Big leaned back in his small chair and sighed heavily, his eyes glancing around his office. Though his house was large enough for polar bears to move about freely, there was an entire wing refitted specifically for Mr. Big and his family. The office was a scaled replica of the one where he met his visitors, though it had no deathtrap beneath the floorboards.

The shrew's eyes returned to his desk, his gaze falling upon one framed photo of many. His wife happily beamed at the camera, holding one of her many children in her arm. Mr. Big stood beside his wife, the smile on his face so genuine that one wouldn't believe that the shrew was a cold-blooded crime boss.

Tears began to sting at Mr. Big's eyes as his thoughts turned to his deceased wife. Being a crime boss brought with it many enemies, and those enemies would do anything that they could to hurt you. Mr. Big was no exception to these enemies, and his wife was no exception to what would be done to get to the powerful shrew.

Mr. Big was drawn from his depressing train of thought as a bell attached above the door rang three times in quick succession; the shrew had a visitor. With a tired sigh, Mr. Big rose from his small chair and made his way to the exit.

His close friend Jim Bratva was waiting for him outside, the portable chair sitting comfortably in his massive paw. Nothing was said between the two mammals, but then again, there wasn't much that needed to be said as business was carried out as usual.

The walk through the halls to the large office wasn't very long, and Mr. Big was grateful; he wasn't ready to delve into his thoughts once more. However, he couldn't help but wonder who was visiting him at this late hour. His different partners who were nocturnal kept rushing through the shrew's mind, but one name was determined to take priority.

And unfortunately for Mr. Big, that name belonged to the fox that now stood before him, a mischievous gleam in his emerald eyes and a smarmy grin on his muzzle: Victor Wilde.

Mr. Big's bushy eyebrows slowly raised in surprise, but his perpetual scowl gave him the appearance of being annoyed more than anything else. An odd silence fell over the room as both mammals waited for the other to start; both were experienced with dealing with visitors, and both were trying to take control of the situation.

Luckily for Mr. Big, Victor decided to surrender control to the shrew as he opened his mouth to speak. "Good evening, Mr. Big," he said, his paws clasped behind his back and his tail gently swaying behind him. "I hope this isn't a bad time."

The sarcasm in the fox's voice immediately grated on Mr. Big's nerves; he sounded _too_ much like Nick when he had sold the shrew the skunk-butt rug. "Meh, when you have my occupation, you find that _any_ time is a good time, whether you want it to be or not," Mr. Big replied, creating an air of indifference about him.

Victor nodded. "There's a saying about wiser words, but I can't seem to remember it," he stated. Mr. Big could almost immediately see what the fox was trying to do; Victor was challenging the shrew, trying to get under his skin. The crime boss knew that if he let the fox slip past his emotional defenses, he would be done for.

"You must feel very disappointed in yourself, then," the shrew stated dryly. This earned an imperceptible chuckle from the polar bears that stood among the two crime lords.

"Well, you know, you learn to get over these kinds of things," Victor shrugged, the challenge still apparent in his voice. "I mean, if I let stuff easily get to me, I wouldn't be here, would I?"

The shrew merely nodded, and silence once again fell over the room. It was again broken, however, by Victor after a few moments. "I don't know about you, but _I_ usually offer my guest a drink whenever they come to visit me."

"I'm afraid all I have is frozen water," Mr. Big said, a chilling smile growing over his muzzle as he gestured towards the floor. Victor's eyes followed and widened as he realized where he was standing. Before the fox could back away, however, two polar bears stepped together to create an immovable wall, keeping Victor in place. "and I'm _sure_ you don't want that."

Victor regained his composure as quickly as he had lost it. "I didn't know you were so considerate, Mr. Big; your reputation does nothing for the _true_ mammal behind the name."

"While I appreciate the compliments, I have this growing feeling that you're simply beating around the bush," Mr. Big said, his annoyance starting to seep through the cracks.

Victor gave an amused snort. "Considerate _and_ perceptive!" he said with a fake sense of awe. "The truth is, I needed to talk to you about something."

Mr. Big raised one of his massive eyebrows in response.

Victor's smirk faded somewhat as his emerald eyes darkened. "I've come to talk about my son and the part he plays in my upcoming plans. Hell, as an added bonus, I may even tell you what _your_ part in my plans is!"

Mr. Big's other eyebrow soon joined its counterpart. "And why would I even _consider_ playing along?"

In all his years, Mr. Big had very little to fear. However, a shiver ran down the shrew's spine as a strikingly cold grin crawled over Victor's face.

"You'll find I'm rather persuasive, _especially_ if I give the right _proposition_ ," the fox replied, his voice as cold as his glare. "And I'm _positive_ that what I'm about to ask will be the just what I need to convince you to play nicely."

Silence fell over the room as the shrew and fox stared at each other. The polar bears fidgeted nervously as the tension surged through the air like electricity. And suddenly, the tension dissipated as Mr. Big gave a hearty laugh, though it sounded like squeaking to the fox.

"You've received my full attention, Victor," the shrew said, a broad smile on his muzzle; he couldn't help but notice the satisfied grin on Victor's face. "Alright, I'll listen. Just make it worth my while."

* * *

Nick's emerald eyes avidly followed the form of his wife pacing back and forth in the living room, the bunny's face set in a mask of thoughtful determination. While Nick was just as curious as Judy as to the meaning of the message on the strip of paper he had found in his wallet, he had decided that the carpet could only handle one pair of pacing feet at a time and opted to remain seated on the couch.

"What could it mean?" Judy repeatedly mumbled to herself, the piece of paper in question clenched tightly in her paws. For the umpteenth time that night, the bunny paused and scrutinized the message written and revealed within the folds.

"Are you asking _me_ this time, Carrots, or is it still rhetorical?" Nick joked, amused with how seriously Judy was taking the random message.

Judy shot a glare at the fox, her frown clearly saying that she was in no mood for this right now. "If you happen to know the answer, then by all means, _please_ share it!" she exclaimed as she resumed her march.

Nick snorted before throwing his paws up in a show of surrender. "I've gotta disappoint you there, Carrots, but unlike every other time in my life, I _don't_ have the answer."

Judy paused in her pacing, turning towards the fox with a look of pure annoyance in her eyes that translated into her tone of voice. "Oh no! If you don't have the answer, then _no one_ does!" She then crossed her arms and frowned at Nick, her foot tapping impatiently on the ground.

Nick gave the bunny a grin and shrugged. "Sorry to bring about the end of the world for you, Carrots, but fear not! I may not have the answer, but I have the means of _finding_ it!" Without another word – though Judy shook her head in exasperation – Nick rose from the couch and made his way to the bedroom. A moment later, he returned with the couple's trusty laptop.

As Nick set the portable computer up on the coffee table, Judy took a seat on the couch next to her partner. A few seconds and a laptop boot-up later, the fox and bunny had Zoogle Chrome ready and waiting.

"Before we begin," Nick said, turning to the impatient bunny, "I am curious as to what your expectations are. Like, what do you think Wild Times is going to be?"

Judy opened her mouth to speak but closed it as she began to second-guess her original theory. Her eyebrows lowered in deep thought as she brought a paw up to her chin. "Well, if it's a _name_ , then I think it's gonna be a restaurant or night club of some kind," she glanced at her partner with a light of curiosity in her gem-colored eyes. "What about you? What do _you_ think?"

"Well," Nick said, and before Judy could stop him, he quickly typed _Wild Times_ into the computer and the moment the web page loaded, he glanced at the top link. " _I_ think that it's an amusement park."

Judy harrumphed and shot a glare at the fox before turning to the screen and clicking the link Nick had read. After the screen had loaded, Judy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Would you look at this; it's an amusement park that's more predator-friendly than most other places. In fact, it looks like most of the rides are _based_ off of predatory instincts!"

Nick's ears perked toward the screen as he skimmed over the page. "Man, they've got roar-a-coasters, indoor 'fishing,' Nocturnal Hide N' Seek; why haven't I heard of this place!?"

After scrolling down the page, the answer to Nick's question was found: the place had opened very recently, and because of the heavily prey-based population, it wasn't very popular at first.

"Does the news have _anything_ on this?" Judy asked after thoroughly scanning the web page and its contents.

After exiting the page and returning to the search results, Nick answered, "Yes, there is. Look here," he said as he clicked another link that led to a news thread. "' _Wilde_ Times: Is Victor Running the Show? Apparently, rumors have been running around that my dad secretly owns the place."

"Why would that be?" Judy asked, and she received her answer when she scrolled down the page. "Oh, _really?_ They think because the name _Wild Times_ is similar to _Wilde_ that Victor is pulling the strings? The place opened a year ago; _way_ before he even surfaced!"

Nick nodded, though his expression was somewhat solemn. "Yeah, well, most mammals like to mindlessly jump to conclusions when it comes to scenarios like this. Not only is Victor making people scared, but the amusement park is _predator_ -based; it's the _perfect_ hate victim."

Judy harrumphed again. She couldn't get over the fact that there was still mindless hate against predators, but it wasn't something that would go away easily; deep-rooted instincts helped drive this hate, and instinct doesn't disappear overnight.

"Now the real question is," Nick began, pulling the bunny from her thoughts, "why did I suddenly have a piece of paper in my wallet that had me solve a puzzle to get 'Wild Times'?"

Judy paused for a moment, mulling over the thought. The obvious and _easy_ route would be to blame it on Victor, but with the lack of concrete evidence, Judy refused to believe something that far-fetched. However, thanks to the train of thought that Victor Wilde brought along, something clicked in Judy's brain.

"Wait a minute, what about that wolf?" Judy asked, turning towards her partner. The expression of 'Eureka' on her face did nothing to help Nick understand where Judy was going with this.

"Okay?" Nick asked, shrugging in a show of 'I don't quite follow you.'

Judy rolled her eyes. "The wolf that stole your wallet yesterday? Remember?"

Nick's eyes widened as he began to realize what Judy was getting at, but he decided to mess with her a little more. "Okay, yeah, I remember. But what about him?"

Judy missed the sly grin on Nick's face as she gave an exasperated sigh and pulled the piece of paper out of her wallet. As she waved it in Nick's face, she continued, "The only person besides you or me that had your wallet long enough to put this in there was that wolf!"

Taking the paper from Judy's paw, Nick scrutinized the message again. "Now the only question is _why_ he would do that," Judy added, her face once again set in thoughtful determination.

"There are a few guesses," Nick said, placing the paper in his pocket and turning his gaze towards the bunny. "One, he was paid to do it. Two, he thought it would be a hilarious prank. Three, it's both."

Judy gave an audible exhale, the annoyance with the mystery evident in her body language. "However, I think it deserves a visit," Nick said as he clicked back onto the main web page. "Don't you?"

Nick's suggestion had the desired effect on the bunny; her annoyance turned into happy determination as thoughts of figuring out this mystery rushed behind her eyes. "Sounds like a plan!" she chirped, hopping in her seat.

The fox smiled as he scanned the web page, looking for the location of the amusement park. After a moment, Judy joined in, her eyes quickly scanning through the paragraphs and pictures advertising the establishment.

"Ah ha!" Judy said, her outburst faintly startling Nick. "There! It's in the Meadowlands!"

Nick leaned in to get a better look at the address. "Wait a minute," he mumbled under his breath as his eyes widened in surprised realization. "I know that place!"

Judy snapped her head to her husband, her eyes scanning his face for any signs of a sarcastic joke; there were none. "Really?"

Nick nodded before turning to her, a faint smile on his face. "You're not gonna believe this, but –"

– A seemingly abandoned warehouse loomed ahead, the bright sunlight casting a cheery glow about the surrounding fields. The white convertible casually drove over the dirt road that would have been too small for Nick and Judy's large police cruiser. With the top down, the fox relished the feeling of the wind rustling through his fur as he fought the instinct to open his maw and allow his tongue to freely wag in the breeze. Judy was reminded of home; this was one of the many reasons why she adored the Meadowlands.

The car drove over a small bridge, and to any other mammal, the act would have been nothing at all. To Nick and Judy, it was much more; they were crossing the very same bridge under which Nick and Judy had mended their relationship after the press conference about three years ago.

"It still feels weird to think how long ago that was," Judy mumbled more to herself as the bridge disappeared around the bend behind them.

"I feel you Carrots, but anytime _I_ think about that, I'm just reminded that I'm an old fox," Nick lamented with a snarky grin on his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Judy rolling her eyes at him, though she shared a similar grin on her muzzle.

"You're not _that_ old, Nick," Judy said in a reassuring tone; her grin wasn't. "You still have about five years before you're forty!"

"Thanks, Carrots," Nick halfheartedly grumbled as he kept his eyes on the road. He contemplated coming up with something to get back at the rabbit, but ultimately decided against it; Judy needed a few victories every now and then.

Before long, the white convertible circled around and drove up to the front of the warehouse. From this side, the building looked very lively. Colorful posters and streamers beckoned customers inside, promises of fun times and long-lasting memories radiating from the entrance. As Judy gazed at all the different mammals bustling about, she noticed something that – thought she was expecting it – she found rather odd: nearly every mammal she saw was a predator of some kind.

Young kits ran about in excitement while their parents tried to keep them in check; young couples strolled about, probably enjoying their first date; groups of students on field trips gleefully walked single-file towards the entrance.

As Nick parked the car, he couldn't help but notice the excited twitching of Judy's tail as the bunny drank in all of the sights, and a warm smile crept over his muzzle. "I know it shouldn't surprise me at this point, but the fact that you're so full of energy bewilders me, Carrots," Nick said, drawing Judy's attention. "When I told you where this place was, I was _sure_ that you wouldn't get any sleep at all last night!"

"I didn't think so either," Judy said, her amethyst eyes sparkling. "But when you have such a warm, fluffy fox to cuddle with at night, it becomes hard to stay awake."

Nick chuckled. "Guilty as charged," he said as he and Judy exited the car and put the top up. The heat of the sun was balanced by a constant, cool breeze that gently ruffled the fur of every mammal present.

To keep the regular patrons of the park from worrying, Nick and Judy had opted to dress casually for the visit. Nick wore the blue shirt and red tie that Judy had gotten him along with his regular pair of khakis. His reflective sunglasses rested atop his snout, giving him the appearance of a stereotypical tourist. Judy wore a loose, gray T-shirt and denim jeans, putting her slightly out of place next to the fox. However, due to their comfortable clothing, the couple was hardly looked at twice and therefore casually walked up to the entrance of the park with no problems.

"Hello there!" said the arctic fox behind the ticket booth. He was dressed in a red T-shirt with the Wild Times logo imprinted on it, and a genuine smile made its home on the fox's muzzle. "Welcome to Wild Times! My name's Rick. How can I help you two today?"

Nick leaned forward after fishing his badge from his pocket and handing it to the fox. "Well, Rick, my partner and I are here to meet with the owner. We hope he'll be able to help us with the case we are currently working on."

Rick's smile never left his muzzle as he examined the badge, but his eyes did widen in happy surprise. "Wow! _You're_ Officer Wilde! And that must make you Officer Hopps!" Rick turned from Nick to Judy; while the fox was clearly excited to see the two officers, he kept his voice down.

Judy gave the predator a shy wave. "Yep. That's me."

"Well, if you've got some business here, then go right ahead," Rick said with a wave towards the entrance. "Here, take these bands; it'll let you enjoy some of the rides if you have time left over from your visit!"

"Thanks, bud!" Nick said, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. With the neon-pink paper bands around their wrists, Nick and Judy entered the amusement park.

As the two cops rounded the corner, Rick discreetly brought a finger up to his ear, activating the earpiece hidden inside. "Victor? They're here."

* * *

Judy couldn't take in all the sights no matter how hard she tried, but what she _did_ manage to see awed her. Different attractions of all shapes and colors lined the walls of the warehouse, creating a cheerful atmosphere and removing any reminders that the establishment was built inside what used to be an old, abandoned building.

"Carrots, if you keep rubbernecking like that, your head will fall off," Nick joked, an amused smile on his face.

"But don't you see _everything?_ " Judy said with a tone of wonder. "It's _so cool_ here! Look at everything there is to do!"

Nick did, in fact, look around the park. Hundreds of mammals went about their day, food in the paws of some, cameras in the paws of others. Glancing up, Nick noticed the balcony that wrapped around the perimeter of the warehouse, containing more mammals and attractions. Finally, Nick's gaze rested upon the large ride that demanded the attention of all the patrons: the Roar-a-coaster. The huge attraction sprawled across the entire park, and the rails were elevated to make room for everything else. Just looking at it made Nick's stomach flutter in excitement; roar-a-coasters were his favorite at _any_ amusement park.

"Hey Nick, look at that!" Judy said as she gestured with her head. Nick's gaze turned where Judy pointed, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. Standing outside of the Fish-o-Rama was a jackrabbit wearing the red T-shirt of Wild Times employees. The buck constantly flashed toothy smiles at the patrons, his cheery attitude unfazed by the fact that he was surrounded by predators.

In fact, when Nick glanced around the park, he noticed that the employees were a mix of predator and prey. Each mammal had a cheerful attitude, physically declaring that they enjoyed being there. Nick couldn't help but break his practiced mask of pleasant indifference and grin at the sight.

"Hello!" a voice caught the fox and bunny's attention. Turning towards the source, Nick and Judy were met with the sight of a friendly-looking sheep striding towards them. He was a head taller than Nick, and his wool gave him a wide frame, giving the sheep the resemblance of a giant ball of fluff. The brown sweater-vest, white undershirt, and cotton slacks that he wore told the cops that this sheep was the manager of Wild Times, but also that he was of the cheery sort.

When the wooly mammal finally closed the distance, he promptly shook the paws of both Nick and Judy. A broad grin was plastered over his face. "My name is Edward Woolson," he said, his voice a rich tenor with a subdued British accent; Nick assumed that had his voice been a few octaves lower, the sheep would have had a hard time coming off as friendly, "though my friends call me Wooly. I'm the owner and founder of Wild Times. What can I do for you today?"

A small voice nagged at the back of Nick's head, but it was quickly overruled by the general, happy aura given off by the sheep; Nick found his grin widening as he shook Edward's hoof. "Well Wooly, my partner and I heard that some rumors have been going around about this place, but we would like to hear _your_ side of the story. That, and maybe ride some of these rides; I swear that the Roar-a-coaster is calling to me!"

Edward's soft chuckle was still enough to make his thick coat of wool bounce around. "I see. If you would, I'll take you to my office; we can discuss matters there."

As the two cops followed the manager through the crowds toward the back of the room, Edward gave quick explanations of the different attractions and rides that they passed along the way. Judy's eyes whipped around as she stared in awe; Nick reigned in his excitement, though his tail wagged energetically behind him. At the entrance to the Roar-a-coaster, Edward led the cops to the right where a staircase awaited them. At the top was a door that led to the sheep's office.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable," Edward said, gesturing towards the small selection of comfortable seating in the room. Nick and Judy shared a small sofa, and Edward sat in the enormous chair across from them; it was the only chair that could fit his girth comfortably.

While the sheep got situated, the two cops found their gazes roaming around the office. It was modest; besides the seating, the only other furnishing was a desk located to the right. However, the main point of interest that Nick and Judy found themselves drawn to was the window directly across from them. The glass pane took up most of the wall, revealing a spectacular view of the rest of the park.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Edward asked with a smile on his face, glancing from the window to the two cops. "That's one of the reasons I decided to have the office up here. Other than that, I have plenty of peace and quiet to get my work done."

"It's really nice," Judy said, a somewhat dazed smile on her muzzle. "It all is."

"Thank you," Edward said, nodding in thanks. "I do enjoy it myself. Now, about your visit."

"Ah yes," Judy said, quickly retrieving her notebook and carrot pen from her back pocket. "We were wondering if you could tell us about this place and what you think of the rumors."

With a sigh, Edward leaned back in his chair. "I'll start from the beginning, then. After Bellwether's arrest, I began to feel sympathetic to the predators. Hundreds of innocent lives practically ruined because of the fear that was spread; I almost felt disgusted to be a sheep! So, I decided that I wanted to help the predator population, to give them a way to feel like themselves again. Prey mammals are the majority here; anything I may have wanted to do for them was already done! So, I realized that an amusement park that was based off of predators would be the best option.

"I got the help of some of my close friends – prey _and_ predator – and finally found this place. Old, abandoned, and the perfect size for what I had planned. Purchasing it was easy; getting it cleaned was the hard part. Well, I say that, but then actually _constructing_ the park was just as bad. Anyway, after two years, we finally got the place finished and were ready to officially open. And then the whole Hunter debacle cropped up. Luckily, you two nipped his plans in the bud before that crazy leopard could do some major damage, but the effects were there. Prey didn't trust predators again, and predators were starting to feel unsure of themselves; I mean, if _I_ were suddenly targeted by my own kind, _I_ would be a little rattled as well!

"Because of this, my friends and I strengthened our efforts to get Wild Times out to the public. The mayor, the ZPD, anyone who had a voice; we talked to them all. Lucky for us, most of those that we contacted were on board; in fact, I believe Chief Bogo would have had you two come down had you not been on vacation at the time, but after dealing with Hunter, I don't blame you.

"My friends and I officially opened this place, and the turnout was fantastic! Hundreds of mammals came to enjoy themselves, bringing enjoyment to me! We've been in happy business since, though these rumors certainly are trying to bring us down."

"Do your friends still help out?" Judy asked after writing key notes into her notebook.

Edward nodded. "Most of the employees are close friends of mine, and a few of them are mammals working summer or part-time jobs. It still surprises me that it's not only predators who appreciate what I'm doing here, but I'm not complaining; knowing how much good you're doing in the world is recompense enough."

Nick and Judy nodded, both of them sympathetic to the sheep's words. Being the faces of the ZPD and, to an extent, interspecies relationships, it was always helpful to the fox and bunny that their hard work wasn't all for naught.

"Now, about this rumor," Edward began, drawing Nick and Judy from their thoughts. "It may come as a surprise to you, Officer Wilde, but I once knew your father."

Nick, the master of _don't let them see that they get to you_ , expertly suppressed his surprise into a simple raise of his eyebrows. "Really?" he asked, his calm, smooth voice giving no hint to the emotional state he was in.

Edward nodded. "Yes. He and I worked in his tailor shop. I think you can guess what I helped with," he said as he gestured towards his excess of wool. He then gave a hearty chuckle at his joke before continuing, "I kid. I kid. He and I worked closely on his different designs. Besides that, I was a very close friend, which most predators desperately needed at the time. I don't want to relive it, but I will say that predators had it _very_ rough back then.

"When your father was forced out of the tailoring business, I was so distraught for him; all of his life's work, straight down the drain. He was never the same after that, though I was surprised that he was still compassionate to prey mammals after that; I heard many a story about predators completely leaving society and loathing prey after being hurt so badly. However, I could see the hurt in your father's eyes.

"Eventually, your father left, and I never saw him again. However, he never left my thoughts, even now. I think part of me built this place in honor of him, or, who he _was_ ; the news today isn't very reassuring, is it? So, to answer the first possible question: yes, Wild Times is a small nod to my old friend. However, that is as far as the truth to those rumors goes. I haven't had contact with Victor ever since his disappearance, and nothing else about this park has been inspired by his actions."

A few moments of silence filled the air as Judy scribbled the notes into the paper in her paws. Nick, however, was sorting through yet more information on his father. As he compared it to the story his mother gave him a few days ago, Nick couldn't help but feel that there was something that he was missing; something that both his mother and Edward were leaving out.

* * *

The gravel crunched under rubber tires as the light blue van drove through the parking lot of Wild Times. To most mammals, the colorful entrance would have been quite alluring, but the van's driver and passengers were immune. Being careful of the _many_ pedestrians milling about, the van slowly made its way towards a small building situated to the main warehouse's right. The sun-baked double doors slowly opened to allow the vehicle passage and closed with the same speed once the van passed the threshold.

From the outside, the building was little more than a shack compared to the amusement park that stood near, but inside was a hidden treasure: an entrance to an underground bunker that was used back in the war against the Axis predators. Since then, however, the catacombs were collecting dust from years of lack of use; that is, until Victor had found it.

The van rolled through the tunnels as the cool, damp air began to seep into the vehicle. The smell of earth and concrete met the noses of the four mammals inside, the aroma oddly calming. Though there were lamps that hung from the ceiling at regular intervals, the van's headlights shone through the dusty corridors.

Within moments, the van pulled into a large clearing where dozens of mammals milled about; some carried supplies and ammunition, others carried large crates filled to the brim with foodstuffs. The vehicle was quickly pulled into its designated area and parked before the four mammals exited.

"Welcome back, boys!" Victor called as he walked towards the group. "I assume everything went well?"

Dallas ripped off his mask before turning to the fox. "Yeah, everything went fine. Nobody suspected a thing, and it'll be a few days before they realize we were even there!" While the fox talked, the three other criminals opened the back doors of the van and began unloading several duffel bags.

"Did you make the switch?" Victor asked as he watched the bags make their way into the paws of a few other mammals.

Dallas gave an affirmative grunt. "Thousands of counterfeit bills, right where the real deal was kept. Like I said, it'll be a while before anyone realizes what's going on."

A broad, toothy grin split over Victor's muzzle. "Very good. You guys earned some well-deserved rest! Go get something to eat; I'll have Tony let you know where your next mark is." With that, the older fox spun on his heel and walked away from the group.

The four convicts took the fox's offer, making their way to the mess hall after unloading the stolen money. Luckily, at this time of day, most of Victor's "employees" were busy with tasks of their own, meaning that the mess hall was relatively quiet.

Wolf, having been the last of the four to get his meal, plopped his tail down on the seat next to Chains with an audible _'thud'_ and a sigh. "Well, that was fun," he joked before digging into his food. If there was one pro to working with Victor, it was that the fox had access to plenty of chicken and fish for the predators to eat.

Dallas gave an amused snort. "Heh, yeah right. We're not even finished with our _second day_ of work for that crazy fox, and he's got us on suicide missions!"

"Hey, at least it's something!" Hoofston interjected after swallowing a bite of his salad. "Ever since those two cops came around, Baine has been having trouble getting us any decent contracts. Most of the time, we're just barely scraping the bottom of the bucket!"

"Well, _that's_ true," Dallas grumbled as he absentmindedly picked at his food with his fork. "But, Baine knew how to get us out of there when things got hairy; I bet that the moment the opportunity arrives, Victor's just gonna leave us hanging."

"Yeah, he's very inconsiderate, isn't he?" Wolf asked before becoming very interested in a piece of chicken on his plate. After attacking the morsel and tossing it into his muzzle, Wolf spoke up again, "You know, it's _almost_ like he doesn't care about us at all!" Suddenly, the wolf's eyes darkened, and his paw clenched tightly around the fork. A low growl emanated from the canine before his demeanor changed back to normal just as suddenly as before.

The other three convicts were quite used to this behavior, but it didn't stop them from feeling sorry for their comrade. "Hey, as long as we stick together out there, we don't need to care about Victor," Hoofston said as he gently clapped Wolf on the shoulder. "This is just a job, and the sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get on with our normal lives."

Chains snorted as he placed his empty plate on the table. "When have any of our lives _ever_ been normal, Hoofston?" the bear asked with a cold grin on his face. "We've all had it rough; ain't nothin' gonna change that."

Dallas gave the bear a thoughtful nod. "True, but we _can_ change what happens to us afterward. I, for one, see myself retiring somewhere nice, quiet, and away from everyone else."

Hoofston chuckled. "Man, you're making it hard _not_ to profile you, Dallas," he said with a knowing smirk.

"You're one to talk, He-Who-Only-Eats-Lettuce-And-Calls-It-A-Salad!" the fox retorted with a smirk of his own.

"Oh, get a room you two," Chains groaned and rolled his eyes. "You're gonna make me sick with all your brotherly love and crap!"

"Of course _you_ wouldn't like it; _you've_ been orphaned all your life!" Dallas challenged, a mischievous gleam in his sky-blue eyes.

Wolf couldn't help the dopey grin that crept over his muzzle as he excitedly glanced from fox to bear, waiting in gleeful apprehension as to what would happen next. Hoofston even sat back, a grin on his face as he prepared to watch the entertainment unfold.

"You really wanna go there?" Chains growled, his body already raising from his seat.

Dallas only grinned as his eyes traveled up the towering form of the bear. Before he could open his mouth to answer, however, a massive paw socked him across the muzzle and sent him sprawling onto the floor.

Wolf doubled over with laughter as Hoofston merely glanced over to Dallas's body. Chains dusted his paws off as he walked over to the incapacitated fox.

Dallas groaned as Chains lifted him off of the ground. "Come on, Chains. You used to be able to knock me out cold with one punch!"

"That was because I used to not like you," the massive bear joked as he plopped the fox onto his seat. "Besides, my angle was awkward; had I punched you harder, your snout would have been broken for sure."

Dallas tenderly rubbed his sore nose as the bear seated himself. "Huh. Thanks for being so considerate," the fox joked.

A conversation sounding from the front of the mess hall drew the attention of the four convicts. "They're really here?" said one of the two mammals; a zebra, by the looks of it.

"Yep," said the other; a horse about a head taller than the other mammal. "Rick called it in about an hour ago; Wooly's talking with them now."

The zebra placed her hooves on her hips as she glanced at the floor, seemingly unsure about something. "Is he _really_ Victor's son?" she asked.

Even from a distance, the four criminals could see the eye roll from the horse. "Yes Corey, he's Victor's son. The very same son who 'saved all of Zootopia!'" he said with mock dramatic flair.

"I get it, but it's just kinda weird, Don," Corey said. "I mean, they're so similar, yet so different!"

"That's what Victor's whole plan is hinging upon, apparently. But as we've been going along, I've started to believe that Victor will actually pull this off," Don said. The rest of the conversation was forgotten as the four criminals turned to each other.

"Did you hear that?" Wolf said, his tail wagging behind him in excitement. "Those two cops are here!"

"Yeah, we heard 'em Wolf," Dallas said, though his expression was grim.

"Well, what we gonna do about it?" Chains asked as he glanced between the other mammals.

"What do you mean, Chains?" Dallas asked, turning towards the large bear.

"I mean, are we going to sit around and let them go, or are we going to show them that you don't mess with us and get away with it?"

Large grins split across the mouths of the other three mammals as the thought developed in their minds.

"I agree with Chains," Dallas said as he turned towards the rest of the small group. "It's about time someone taught those two a lesson."

* * *

"Again, thank you for your time," Judy said as Edward led them back into the park. "You've helped us a lot."

Edward chuckled. "It was my pleasure, Officer Hopps. Or should I call you Mrs. Wilde?"

"Only when I'm off-duty," Judy said with a wide grin on her face.

"Of course," Edward said before turning to Nick and offering his hoof. "I do hope to see you two here again soon; I'd love to hear what you think of my rides."

Nick shook the sheep's hoof with a smile of his own. "I think Carrots and I have some time before we need to head back to the station, and your buddy Rick was kind enough to give us these wristbands!" the fox held up his arm, revealing the neon pink paper strip.

Edward's smile widened. "Ah, good lad! So glad I hired him. In that case, feel free to ride! I'm sure your job is stressful as it is."

"Will do! See you around, Wooly!" Nick waved as he and Judy began walking back into the crowds.

Turning around to face where he was going, Nick couldn't stop the surge of excitement that rushed through him. "So Carrots, what do you want to try first?"

Judy looked around, placing a paw under her chin as she pondered the multiple options. "Why don't we try out the Roar-a-coaster; maybe _then_ you'll stop talking about it!" she joked as she began striding off in the direction of the monstrous attraction.

"Oh trust me, Carrots; by the time you've ridden one of these bad boys, you'll be buzzing for _days!_ " Nick called as he jogged after her.

* * *

Nick groaned as he leaned on Judy's small form, the lights and colors swimming around in his vision. "Carrots?" he asked groggily, his words slurring together as he swayed from side to side. "I dun feel so good."

"Maybe you shouldn't have ridden the Roar-a-coaster _ten times in a row!_ " Judy chided through grit teeth as she slowly made her way to the exit; Nick was much heavier than he looked, _especially_ when all his muscles were giving out.

"But – urk – it was _so_ much _fun_ ," Nick mumbled, a dopey grin creeping over his muzzle. His eyebrows furrowed together as his head swiveled towards Judy. "Waitaminute. . . why aren't _you_ all sick?"

Judy groaned as she adjusted her hold on Nick. " _I_ didn't ride ten times like you did," she said, her voice less strained now that she had found an easy and comfortable way to transport her dizzy fox to the exit.

"Ah," Nick said, sounding like he had heard the answer to every question in the world.

It took a while, but Judy finally got Nick to their car without dropping him. However, there were plenty of times where she _almost_ dropped him; whether out of the fox's sheer weight or the annoying factor of one of his wise-cracks, Judy wasn't sure.

"Alright, Slick Nick, _I'm_ driving," Judy said as she gently sat Nick down in the passenger seat. By this time, the fox had regained some sense of normality and wrapped the seat belt around his waist and chest, and Judy sat herself in the driver's seat.

Unfortunately, Nick and Judy's visit had kept them well into the afternoon and the busiest time of the day. The parking lot was _filled_ with pedestrians and cars looking for parking spots. It took another ten minutes to finally escape the cramped lot, and by that time, Nick was back to his normal self.

"Well, that was a fun day," Nick said as he placed his sunglasses on his snout and rolled down the window. Cool air began to flow through the car, much to the delight of both mammals. "Don't you think, Carrots?"

Judy gave an affirmative hum before her thoughts returned to the case. "But we didn't get any further in our case!" she groaned.

"Carrots, it's fine. We'll find another lead, and that will probably be a dead end. Then we'll find another lead, and the same thing will happen. That's how most of these investigations go until we finally find the breakthrough."

"I know, but with every passing day that we don't catch these guys, the greater the danger Zootopia could be in," Judy said as her ears folded against her head.

"Hey now, no need to be so dramatic," Nick grinned as he gently stroked Judy's ears. "They're not gonna tear the city apart or anything. If they're on the loose, I bet you that they're robbing banks again. That'll get out to the news, and then voila! A new lead has appeared!"

Judy sighed; the mixture of the cool, Meadowlands breeze and Nick's comforting petting was doing wonders for her stressed nerves. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right, Nick," she said, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "We just need to be patient, that's all."

Up ahead, a light blue van was driving down the road, heading in the opposite direction of Nick and Judy.

"So, what's the plan after this?" Judy asked, stealing a quick glance at the fox next to her.

Nick fell silent as he pondered, but his paw never left the bunny's ears. "We head back to the ZPD, fill in our reports for the day, then head home. Nothing much we can do now."

Judy nodded in agreement; a "chill" day sounded really good about now.

The van grew closer, and Judy began to pull over to make space on the small road. Her ears perked up, however, when the van kept heading straight for them.

Nick noticed the van too, and his heart skipped a beat as his arms stiffened, preparing to protectively wrap around Judy. The van charged head-on, not even slowing down as Judy swerved the car out of the way. It wasn't enough, and the van rammed _hard_ into the side of the white convertible with a harsh, crunching sound. Glass flew through the air, cutting into the fur of both mammals as the van continued to barrel into the side of the car.

The deformed, white vehicle began to somersault over the grass, the van still pushing it forward. Nick tightly held Judy's small form to his chest as the centrifugal force of the tumbling car pulled at him from all directions.

The van rammed the convertible into a nearby tree, effectively sandwiching the white car and crushing it with a harsh, metallic sound.


	9. Scared and Helpless

**WARNING: The end of this chapter contains strong emotional torture and physical torment. I would advise any readers that are sensitive to these subjects to either skip the last section of this chapter or to proceed with caution.**

 **ALSO: I have gone back and included a** _ **very**_ **important detail in the office scene with Victor and Dallas; I can't believe I forgot it, but I fixed it, and now the plot will go on as planned. If you have already read this chapter before, I recommend** _ **at least**_ **reading the office scene so that you can find the important detail!**

"Goddammit, Wolf! We want them _alive!_ " Dallas growled as he exited the van. "Why did we even let you drive in the first place!?"

"Because 'it was his turn,'" Hoofston replied, sending a glare at the wolf in the process.

With a sheepish grin on his muzzle, Wolf shrugged innocently before exiting the van. He was soon followed by Chains, and the four criminals surrounded the demolished convertible.

Several moments of silence passed by as the group tried to decide what to do. If they pried open one of the car doors, would they find two dead cops? If they did, what would they do with the bodies? What if they were alive? Would they be so injured that they'd die out anyway?

Dallas got tired of waiting and walked up to the twisted hunk of metal. The fox leaned over to peer through the window, mentally steeling himself for whatever it was he was about to see. He couldn't suppress the sigh of relief that escaped his lips as he saw the unconscious fox and bunny inside; they were bruised and definitely injured, but still breathing.

The fox turned back to the others. "Chains, I need some help over here!"

The bear lumbered over, and with his help, the car door was pried free from the mangled mess. As the fox climbed inside, Hoofston and Wolf walked closer.

"Alright, give me a hand with these guys!" Dallas ordered from inside the convertible. A moment later, he emerged from the wreckage, pulling the two cops behind him. Hoofston and Wolf immediately set to work, picking up the unconscious mammals and carrying them back into the van.

"So now that we got these guys, what are gonna do with 'em?" Chains asked, drawing Dallas's attention away from the van.

Dallas shrugged. "I don't know. We'll take 'em back, show 'em to Victor. He keeps saying that his son is the key to his plans, so I don't think he'll mind that we did him a favor."

The massive bear snorted. "Sure. Just don't forget to leave the part out where we nearly killed them in the process."

The fox growled. "That was Wolf's fault, not mine," he defended as he began walking towards the van.

Chains snorted again. "Right, but _you're_ the one who let him drive!"

Without looking back, Dallas flipped the bird at Chains, who only snorted again. Moments later, the unconscious cops were stored in the back of the van, and the four criminals got ready to leave.

"Woah, woah, hold up a minute, Wolf," Dallas said, raising a paw to stop the wolf who had begun to make his way towards the driver's seat. "You had your turn; let someone else drive now."

With a groan of disappointment, Wolf slunk away from the door before entering the van through the back door. Dallas sat himself behind the wheel, and after making sure everyone was inside, he started the ignition and backed away from the wreck.

The drive back to the hidden catacombs wasn't very long, even with the crowd of mammals visiting the amusement park. For the second time that day, Dallas drove the van through the small shack and through the damp tunnels before parking in the designated spot.

"Alright, you guys stay here," Dallas said as he exited the van. "I'll go get Victor."

"Good luck! We'll miss you!" Chains said, giving the fox a dramatic wave and a smarmy grin. Dallas chose to ignore the bear and made his way through the small crowd of bustling mammals.

The damp walls did nothing for the growing unease in the fox, but it helped keep Dallas moving forward; if one stayed still for too long, the chill would eventually become too uncomfortable. While the main rooms were given a lively appearance with decorations, the tunnels between areas were kept strikingly bland. Save for the flickering fluorescent lights that hung from the ceiling, the gray walls were completely barren. Dallas couldn't help but be reminded of a prison.

In reality, it didn't take very long for the fox to reach Victor's office, but due to the brooding atmosphere of the catacombs, Dallas felt like he had been wandering aimlessly through a maze and just now found the exit. An oak door big enough for the larger mammals of Victor's group to enter loomed before Dallas. While most other mammals would have felt a strong sense of dread, the fox felt relatively calm; whether it was out of ignorance of Victor's true nature or just an act of defiance against the older fox, Dallas did not know.

After giving three sharp knocks on the dark wood, Dallas waited for the reply. Victor's muffled voice came from behind the door, allowing the fox entry. Without wasting any more time, Dallas passed over the threshold into Victor's office.

The room was just big enough to be comfortable to the larger mammals, yet it wasn't as decorated as Dallas would have thought. A bookshelf lined the wall to his left, filled with various knickknacks, books, and an odd-looking, broken collar stored almost reverently in a glass case. To the right was an electric heater and a few shelves that held various bottles of scotch and a few framed photos. Standing before Dallas was a long desk, atop which laid a map of Zootopia that Victor was currently pouring over. The only illumination in the room came from a single, warm light that hung from the ceiling.

"Victor?" Dallas piped, still adamant about _not_ calling the older fox Sir.

Emerald eyes looked up from the map and regarded the younger fox with cold annoyance. "What?" Victor barked after a beat of silence, his voice low and scratchy; by the looks of the near-empty bottle of scotch next to him, he had been drinking a bit too much.

"The boys and I have got something to show you," Dallas said, unable to help the somewhat victorious smirk that crept over his muzzle.

"You do, huh?" Victor asked. "Is it important enough for me to stop the _important_ work that I'm doing?"

Dallas nodded, his smirk now a broad grin. "One-hundred percent positive," he replied.

Another beat of silence passed before Victor sighed and downed the rest of the bottle next to him. "Alright, fine. What is it?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to follow me," Dallas said. "I had the others stay behind and make sure that everything was alright till we got back."

Victor sighed again as he rubbed his temples; a headache was _definitely_ on its way. Without saying anything, the older fox walked around the desk and followed Dallas out of the office. Judging by the look on the younger fox's face, whatever the four had brought back was putting them in a good mood. Victor wasn't sure whether to be excited or wary.

After a few minutes of walking through the tunnels, Victor and Dallas reached the main room where the other three criminals were waiting patiently. Dallas trotted ahead while Victor fell behind as he wasn't one-hundred percent excited to see their surprise.

Though, when Victor peeked into the back of the van, he suddenly wished he had been there sooner; the punishment would have been _much_ swifter.

"What the _hell_ is this?" Victor asked in a sharp hiss, his hackles raising and his fur bristling. Inside the van was a fox holding tightly to a small bunny, both of them unconscious and barely breathing.

"You kept saying how important these guys were to your plan, so we got them for you!" Wolf chirped, his tail happily wagging behind him. "You're welcome!"

A low growl escaped the older fox's throat as a few seconds passed. Victor clenched his eyes shut before taking a deep breath to calm himself. However, the effect was only temporary; his anger flared again before he even opened his muzzle to speak.

"Why the hell would you think that I _wanted them here!?_ " Victor hissed, glaring daggers into each of the four criminals. "They're the best damn cops in the ZPD! If they go missing, half the city's gonna be searching for them, and the other half is gonna be talking about it! This place will be found out for sure!"

Wolf shrank back, his ears folding against his head and his tail lowering between his legs. Victor turned to the other mammals. "Tell me _exactly_ what you did to get them here. Now."

"We heard that they were in the area," Dallas began, shrugging indifferently. "Knowing how they somehow managed to find us when we hardly left a trace, we were sure that the cops would eventually sniff this place out. So, we took the necessary precautions."

"What were those 'necessary precautions?'" Victor asked.

"Driving them off the road and ramming them into a tree!" Wolf exclaimed, and a silence fell over the group. Dallas placed a paw over his face, Hoofston nervously shifted his weight, and Chains made no perceptible movement.

"You idiots!" Victor cried, earning a few looks from the bustling mammals around them. "I had them _right where I wanted!_ Wooly was taking care of them; they would _never_ have suspected that there was anything off about this place!"

"Well, I'm sorry that _you_ seem to underestimate them," Dallas challenged, crossing his arms across his chest.

Victor paused for a second, his emerald eyes regarding the younger fox before him. _Oh, his ignorance is as funny as it is annoying,_ the older fox thought before chuckling darkly. "You think I underestimate them, do you?" he asked. He felt a little of his anger ebb away as the pieces clicked together. "No, I underestimated _you_. I should've guessed that you would do _anything_ to get your revenge, even though I already promised it to you."

Dallas tensed up, his ears and tail twitching as he tried to keep them still. This did not go unnoticed by Victor, who chuckled again. "Oh, you guys are _morons!_ " the chuckle turned into a hearty laugh that echoed throughout the spacious room. Dallas dipped his head, hiding his sneer as a low growl escaped his throat.

Victor took a few moments to calm down, but when he did, his voice still had a sharp edge to it. "Well, lucky for you, _I'm_ not a moron. I can make this work to my advantage, _and_ make you happy. I own a warehouse out in Tundratown. You four will take my son and his wife there, and you can do whatever you want to them as long as they live. I'll get the mayor on the phone, and we'll set up a ransom. They'll eventually give in, pay us the money, and Officers Wilde and Hopps go free with the humiliation of being kidnapped by the very same criminals that they once arrested!"

Dallas and the others seemed to think about the proposition for a moment, occasionally glancing at one another as unspoken words traveled between them. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Dallas spoke up. "Alright, we'll do it."

Victor clapped his paws together. "Good! Now, since you four literally _wrecked_ my kid and his wife, we have to make sure that they're gonna live! Don!" the fox's sudden shout gently startled the four criminals and reverberated around the room. Moments later, a tall, brown horse trotted up to the group. His gray eyes quickly glanced over the mammals before locking eyes with Victor.

"Yes, señor?" he asked with a faint Spanish accent.

"These morons tried to kill these two cops," Victor said, gesturing to the fox and bunny in the van. "I _really_ want them alive, so could you check up on them?"

Glancing into the van, Don's eyes widened as he realized _who_ the cops were. After quickly shooting angry glares at the four criminals, Don turned back to Victor. "Of course, señor! I'll make sure that they're perfectly healthy!"

Victor seemed to relax a bit. "Thank you," he said before turning to gently pry the bunny out of the fox's arms. Being as careful as one would be with a newborn kit, the older fox held the bunny close to his chest as he moved out of the way to allow Don to retrieve the other cop.

"As for you four," Victor said, once again glaring at the criminals. "You won't be needed until later. Stay out of trouble, or you'll be answering to Tony." With that, the fox followed Don into one of the side tunnels.

Silence fell over the group as the other mammals in the room returned to what they were previously doing, though a few angry glares were sent towards the criminals.

"That could've gone better," Wolf muttered, earning him the silent agreement of his three friends.

* * *

Bright lights shone from somewhere past the fox's eyelids and, combined with a dull throbbing, began to give Nick a painful migraine. Letting out a low groan, Nick tried to open up his eyes. As he did so, the throbbing increased in strength, discouraging the fox from continuing.

"I'd stay still if I were you," said an unfamiliar voice; it echoed as if it was sounded from far away. "You have a minor concussion."

Though he didn't have any other choice, Nick did as he was told. As he slowly came to, he began to pick up various noises from around the room he was in: metallic tools scraping across metallic surfaces; the faint beeping of two different heart monitors and other machinery; the shuffling of feet and hooves along a concrete floor. Nick deduced that wherever he was, it wasn't good.

The next few moments went by, and nothing seemed to be happening. The owners of the hooves and feet continued to shuffle around the room, quickly followed by the gentle scraping of metal before more shuffling ensued. Suddenly, the bright lights above Nick were blocked as a figure leaned above the fox.

"Alright, I need you to open your eyes for me, Officer," said the voice, sounding a lot clearer now.

Slowly, Nick did as he was told. While the blocked light helped some, Nick's eyes slightly stung as he was finally able to visually take in his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the brown horse standing above him, expectantly watching him with gray eyes. Taking a quick moment to tear his gaze away, Nick looked around the room. The walls were dull gray in color. Several machines and beds littered the space, confirming Nick's suspicion that he was in some type of medical ward. Nick reluctantly turned his eyes back to the horse standing above him, bracing himself for whatever was in store for him.

"Cognitive activity seems normal," the tall mammal said as he leaned forward. His gaze seemed to bore holes into Nick, making the fox squirm uncomfortably.

The horse pulled out a small flashlight and shone it directly into Nick's eyes, who instinctively blinked in response. "Sorry, but I need to check your eyes," the horse apologized. Nick sighed before forcing his eyes to remain open as the flashlight was shone from one side to the other. "Pupil dilation is somewhat normal. That's good; your concussion isn't as serious as I thought!"

As the tall mammal turned away, the bright lights shone directly into the fox's eyes. Nick brought his arms up to cover his face as he turned away, groaning as he got over the stinging behind his eyelids.

"Oh, sorry about that," Nick heard the horse apologize, which was then followed by a faint click. "I forgot that the lamp was still on."

A moment passed before Nick felt comfortable enough to put his arms down. When he did, he realized that the bright lights were turned off. A small sigh of relief escaped his muzzle as he lay back on the bed in time to feel a newfound surge of pain in his head. His eyes screwed shut as he let out a low whine.

The pain soon faded into a dull throbbing, and soon after, Nick felt the rim of a small cup touch his lips. "Take this," the horse said. "It will help with the pain."

With some hesitation, Nick took the cup, parted his lips, and tilted his head back to down the contents. As soon as the liquid ran down his throat, Nick's chest convulsed as a coughing fit racked his body. Nick felt a firm paw beat at his chest to help him along, and after a moment, the fox had calmed down again. As he lay back on the bed, Nick's ears suddenly perked.

A _paw_ had beat against his chest. Horses had _hooves_.

Nick's eyes snapped open as he pushed himself up with his elbows. He quickly scanned the room and found the owner of the paw. An older fox was sitting on a stool with his back towards Nick, intently watching the unconscious bunny in the bed to Nick's right. Gray fur mingled with red on the fox, complemented by the brown business suit.

The name of the fox immediately popped into Nick's head: Victor.

"You know, Nick," Victor began, his eyes never leaving the bunny, "there comes a time in every father's life where he looks back and prides himself on how he raised such wonderful children. It's strange, really. I didn't get to watch you grow up; I didn't get to be there to help you as you learned to make some tough decisions; I didn't get to raise you as my own. Yet, I can't help but feel a sense of pride in what you've become."

The fox turned towards Nick, a faint warmth in his emerald eyes. "I do have to say, though, that you're stupid for thinking I wouldn't recognize you the other day," and just like that, the warmth was replaced with a detached light; the very same look that Nick had perfected in his life as a confox.

Victor rose from his stool and walked over to Nick. "How are you feeling, Nick?"

Nick just stared at the older fox, unable to say anything as hundreds of different emotions and thoughts rushed through his head. The most prominent of these feelings was betrayal, anger, and a fear of what would happen to Judy.

Either Nick was getting rusty at hiding his feelings, or Victor was just as good at reading other people as Nick was because, after a moment, the older fox chuckled. "I see. Nearly dying in a car wreck doesn't go well with being kidnapped by your old man, huh?" Victor laughed again. "Well don't worry; Don here has made sure that you and Officer Hopps will live."

The fox then turned and walked towards the other bed where Judy was just starting to wake up. "Don't you _dare_ touch her!" Nick hissed as Victor leaned over the small bunny.

Victor's green eyes flicked towards the younger fox, regarding him with a sort of amusement. "Or what? Attacking me in your state wouldn't be very smart. Besides, you may hurt Hopps," Victor added with a slightly pouting tone that only served to feed Nick's anger.

The older fox chuckled as he noticed the intensity in Nick's eyes. "Calm down, son, I won't hurt your mate. Sheesh, this bunny's rubbed off on you; you're so _emotional_."

Nick didn't want to calm down. He wanted to lash out at the fox before him. He wanted to hurt Victor for not being there throughout his life. He wanted to get Judy away from here and keep her safe. However, Victor had a point: Nick was in no condition to do _anything_ that he would have wanted to do. With a low growl, Nick reluctantly calmed down.

"That's better," Victor said as he leaned back, and a snarky grin crept over his muzzle. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to officially meet my daughter-in-law."

Suddenly, Nick felt a sharp prick in his arm. Looking down, he realized that the horse had silently stuck a needle into the fox and had already injected its contents into his bloodstream. A moment later, the world fell out of focus as Nick's head began to spin like a top. With a slurred groan, Nick fell back onto the bed; the only movement from the fox was the steady rise and fall of his chest.

* * *

Judy blinked as bright lights shown down on her, bringing tears to her eyes. With a shaking paw, Judy carefully wiped at her eyes as she sat up. She immediately regretted the move, though, as her head threatened to explode. With a sharp intake of breath, Judy lay back on the bed, her face scrunched up as she fought the pain.

After a few moments, Judy tried opening her eyes again. The process was slow, but the light didn't sting as much as before. When Judy finally opened her eyes, she took a moment to glance around the room.

Her ears perked up as she realized she was in some kind of medical ward. The room was filled with all types of medical machinery, and dozens of beds lined the gray walls.

A voice to the bunny's left suddenly drew her attention. "Ah, you're awake!" Turning towards the voice, Judy was surprised to see a tall horse smiling down at her. "Good! I have a few questions to ask you, if you don't mind, señorita," said the horse.

Judy gave a hesitant nod as she tried to figure out where she was. Did she and Nick make it out of the wreck alive? Had the ZPD found them and taken them back?

"Excuse me, Officer Hopps?" the horse asked, gently waving his hoof in front of the bunny's face.

The bunny gave an inquisitive hum before she realized that she had zoned out. "Oh, sorry," she said as she shook her head. "I'm ready for the questions."

The horse gave an amused snort. "Uh-huh," the tall mammal said, raising an eyebrow at Judy. "Anyway, does your head hurt at all? And if so, how badly on a scale from one to ten?"

Judy thought for a moment. As she did so, the throbbing in her head became more prominent, eliciting a small groan from Judy's throat. "Ugh, I'd say the pain is at about six or seven," she replied.

"Is it a dull or sharp pain?"

"Dull," Judy replied.

"Alright then. Give me just a moment," the horse said. Judy heard the shuffling of hooves on concrete before suddenly feeling the brim of a small cup touch her lips. "Drink this; it will help."

Still suspicious of her surroundings, Judy hesitantly downed the contents of the small cup. The medicine tickled at her throat, but it wasn't anything worse than the many tonics the Hopps family had back home. Clearing her throat to get rid of the itch, Judy began to feel the pain ebb away.

"Better?" the horse asked after a moment.

Judy nodded. "Much better," she replied before opening her eyes again. Turning towards the horse, Judy's ears perked in surprise. Lying unconscious on the bed to her left was Nick, and sitting on a stool near the edge of the bed was a fox that near-perfectly resembled her husband. Strikingly green eyes regarded the bunny, who couldn't shake the feeling that she was being assessed by this fox.

A name popped into Judy's mind as she stared back at the well-dressed predator: Victor.

Several more seconds of silence passed before Judy scrounged up the courage to speak. "H-hello," she squeaked before mentally kicking herself for saying something so _stupid._

Victor, however, seemed amused as a warm grin crept over his muzzle. "Hello," he replied, his emerald eyes sparkling in the bright lights.

Judy sat dumbfounded, unsure of how to continue the conversation or whether the conversation was worth continuing at all. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long before Victor spoke up again. "I don't think we've officially met yet," he began with a polite tone; however, Judy felt a growing sense of unease emanating from the fox before her. "My name is Victor Wilde, and, apparently, I'm your father-in-law."

Hundreds of different thoughts rushed through Judy's mind, but the most prominent one was the fact that even though Nick was in the very same room, Judy did not feel _safe_. Keeping her mouth shut and choosing not to speak, Judy desperately hoped that Nick was alright and would wake up soon.

Victor gave a sad sigh. "I just can't get a break today, huh?" he asked himself as he shook his head. "Whatever," Green eyes snapped back up towards the bunny, who faintly winced under the intrusive gaze. "You don't have to be afraid, little bunny; I won't hurt you."

Judy remained silent as she carefully studied the fox for any signs that he may be lying; being around Nick for three years had considerably honed Judy's skills. Upon finding no such signs, Judy allowed herself to relax while keeping her guard up.

The older fox seemed to brighten at this. "That's better," Victor said with a grin. "Now that you know _my_ name, could I be so lucky as to learn _yours?_ "

"I have a funny feeling that you already know that," Judy said, surprising herself with the calm and even tone she had managed to use.

Victor looked somewhat hurt, but the emotion was quickly replaced with the general detachment that Judy had come to associate with Nick. "I just know you as Officer Hopps," the fox said, "but I don't know your first name. Since you know mine, it's only fair that you tell me yours."

Judy crossed her arms as she shot an annoyed glare at the older fox. She opened her mouth to speak before pausing. The bunny couldn't help but feel an odd sense of deja vu; she'd scolded Nick like this before. The realization made Judy blink in surprise; Nick and Victor were _very_ similar, yet so different!

Shaking her head to keep these thoughts from causing another migraine, Judy turned back to Victor. "Judy. My name is Judy."

Victor smiled. "That's a great name. I'm guessing that you took my son's last name, but on-duty you're known as Officer Hopps?"

Judy nodded. Victor's smile widened. "Wonderful. I'd say welcome to the family, but I haven't been a part of it for years. I assume you've already met my wife, Rachel?"

A sad light seemed to envelop Victor's eyes. Judy remained silent and nodded, though she did watch the fox a bit more avidly now. The next question caught Judy off-guard.

"Do you like her?"

The bunny stared for a moment, unable to form any real thoughts towards answering the question as she studied Victor. The fox's expression was genuine and hopeful, and his tail expectantly wagged behind him.

With hesitancy, Judy replied, "O-of course. She's a wonderful mammal. I can see where Nick got his soft side from." She didn't know why she added this last bit, but it felt almost wrong _not_ to say it.

Victor chuckled. "I can't argue with that," he said, and his eyes glossed over as memories began to develop in his mind. The dreamy light was quickly replaced with a cold sadness, however, which brought Judy to the point of _almost_ feeling pity for the older fox.

Suddenly, Judy felt a sharp prick in her arm. Turning to her left, she managed to catch a glimpse of the tall horse as he finished injecting some kind of medicine into her bloodstream. A short moment later, Judy began to feel light-headed.

As the world began to lose focus, a muffled voice echoed through her head. "Take good care of him for me," it said before a warm darkness enveloped Judy's consciousness.

* * *

The bunny's chest rose and fell at a steady rate, adding to her peaceful demeanor. Victor sighed as he turned towards his son. Nick's mouth hung agape, and his tongue lolled out the side of his maw in a comical manner. At first glance, one couldn't have guessed that these two mammals had just survived a car crash.

"There, all done," Don said as he rubbed his hooves together. "They'll live."

"Good," Victor said in a relieved tone. "And the 'medicine' you injected them with?"

Don smiled. "Don't worry: it's just a harmless mix of different sleep-inducing chemicals and medicines; when they wake up, they'll think this whole ordeal was a dream."

Victor gave a sigh of relief with a tint of sadness. "Great. If you would get these two loaded into the van, that would be great," he said as he turned to leave. He only got a few steps before remembering something and turning back to the tall horse. "Also, I'd prefer it if you keep those four idiots from getting their paws on my son and daughter-in-law while they're still here; have Tony or someone help you if needed."

"Of course, señor," Don said with a nod.

Satisfied, Victor turned and exited the medical ward. From there, he made a direct beeline towards his office in silence; he had a phone call to make.

* * *

If there was one thing that Nick knew right now, it was that he was no longer in the medical ward.

His arms were tied behind the back of a chair; the angle strained his muscles, the dull pain now stinging due to his waking consciousness. His legs were tied to the legs of the chair, rendering him immobile. His breath came to him through labored pants, and his eyes refused to focus on anything.

Nick took a moment to regain his focus, which turned out to be tough going as his mind and body were incredibly sore. Every muscle felt spent, and a strong migraine threatened him every time he tried to think. Whenever Nick could finally get his mind to focus, he realized that he was in a large room filled with wooden crates of all sizes and that Judy was nowhere to be found.

The sudden sound of voices drew his attention towards the front of the room. "Does this thing still work?" said one of the voices.

"Yeah, I think so," said another. "I wouldn't be surprised if they kept a couple of these still working as a backup plan."

"I'm not sure whether we should be grateful or angry," said a third.

"Guys, look!" said a fourth, sounding very excited all of the sudden. "He's awake!"

"So he is," said the first voice. The four mammals then walked towards the fox, who was still trying to sort the whole situation out in his dazed mind.

The face of a fox with cold, sapphire eyes suddenly filled Nick's vision. "Good morning, Sunshine! The earth says hello!" this earned a chuckle from the fox's cohorts.

A gap in the pain allowed the memories to rush back to Nick. The van. These four assholes who tried to do his wife and him in. His father. A sudden flash of anger rushed through Nick's system, and the fox suddenly lashed out; in his current, tied-up state, all Nick could do was growl and harmlessly bite the air in front of Dallas's face.

The other fox chuckled. "I'm afraid we can't have this behavior, Officer Wilde," Dallas chided as he reached out towards the other criminals, gesturing for something. "What would your superiors say? What would your _wife_ say?"

The image of Judy suddenly formed in Nick's mind, and a wave of panic washed over the fox as he was reminded that Judy wasn't in the room with him. " _What did you do to her!?_ " Nick hissed, the anger in his emerald eyes boring holes into Dallas.

"Nothing," Dallas replied smoothly, "yet. As for you, though, we have a _lot_ of fun stuff planned."

"Yeah!" Wolf exclaimed, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. "We've been dying to repay you two assholes for what you did!"

"That's right," Dallas agreed before turning back to Nick. "And I think we'll start with this." Suddenly, Hoofston and Chains were on either side of Nick, firmly holding him in place. Nick didn't know exactly why at first until he saw what was now in Dallas's paw: a muzzle. Images flashed in the fox's mind, and Nick was suddenly back in the Junior Ranger Scouts initiation. His "friends" all surrounded him, _laughed_ at him, as the muzzle was none-too-gently forced over his face. Nick tried to break free of his restraints, but with how sore his body already was, he was quickly drained of any remaining energy to fight.

The muzzle was cold, and it uncomfortably bit into his fur. No matter how hard he tried, Nick couldn't shake the contraption off, which fueled his rising anxiety. His breathing came in panicked gasps, and his heart erratically beat inside his chest.

"There, that's better," Dallas said, pulling Nick back into the warehouse. "Now I should have no trouble with _this_."

The muzzle kept Nick from seeing what the second contraption was, but the fox didn't feel like finding out. Nick struggled again, moving the chair about slightly. He didn't stop struggling as he felt a cold and foreign object wrap around his neck. There was a click, a button press, and then a powerful shock.

Nick screamed against his muzzle as electricity surged through his system, immediately stopping his struggle. The pain stopped, and Nick was left in a panting mess, his body leaning forward and his head hanging.

"It works like a charm, Dallas!" Chains said, though it was evident to everyone in the room that the collar had worked.

"Perfect," Dallas said before suddenly pulling Nick's face towards his. Cold sapphire clashed with sharp emerald. "You know, had you and that bunny been _normal_ cops, we would have let this whole situation go; a lucky break, we would have called it. But no, you two had to be the first fox and bunny cops in the ZPD – celebrities! When you're taken down by celebrities, you lose a lot of credibility among civies _and_ potential employers.

"You're lucky that we're in a good mood today," Dallas continued as he stood up, "or else we would have killed you and your wife and left your bodies in a dumpster somewhere; you'd have been a lesson _not_ to mess with us."

"However, that doesn't mean we won't have a little _fun_ , though," Chains added, a cruel smirk on his face.

Dallas smirked in agreement. "You're right, Chains." Suddenly, Dallas smacked Nick across the face; the sound reverberated throughout the large room. As Nick recoiled from the hit, Dallas grabbed the fox's muzzle and pulled it towards him before striking Nick with his other paw.

The muzzle harshly bit into Nick's skin now, drawing blood. Nick felt dazed, and his vision took a second to refocus. Suddenly, his face was being pulled towards Dallas again.

"You have no idea how _good_ that felt," the criminal said, a cruel light in his eyes, "but we're not done yet! Hoofston, Chains, go get the other one."

Nick's ears perked at this, but his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. If Judy was alright, she wouldn't be for much longer.

Seconds later, the two convicts returned, dragging an unconscious form behind them. Walking directly into Nick's line of sight, Chains and Hoofston none-too-gently dropped the bunny onto the ground, eliciting a soft grunt from the smaller cop.

"Judy!" Nick wanted to call out, but with his muzzle, it sounded more like a stifled cry.

The bunny slowly stirred awake. As she picked herself off of the ground, Nick could see that her gray T-shirt was torn in a few places, and her fur was disheveled.

Dallas stepped forward, blocking the small bunny from Nick's sight. Hoofston and Chains stood on either side of Nick, and Wolf simply watched the whole ordeal with avid excitement.

"What do you think, boys?" Dallas asked, glancing to each of his cohorts. "Shall we see if bunnies are as fast as they say?"

Dark snickers and slow nods were the answer that Dallas received. Without any hesitation, the fox turned back to Judy, pulled out his pistol, and fired.

A wave of cold shock washed over Nick as his heart stopped. The sound of the gunshot reverberated throughout the large warehouse, seemingly drawing out its echo for as long as possible. Time seemed to stop as Nick tried to process what just happened. Another painful shock from the collar brought the fox cop back into reality.

"Damn it," Dallas granted, hiding his smirk from the fox cop. "Missed." Before firing a second shot, the fox retrieved a silencer from his belt and quickly attached it to his gun. He suddenly fired again; the sound that echoed in Nick's head was the bullet lodging itself deep into the wooden floor.

Dallas continued to fire at the bunny while making sure to keep Nick from being able to see what was happening Glancing over his shoulder, Dallas could see the horrified look on the fox cop's face as Nick waited for the sound of the bullet hitting flesh.

Fortunately for Nick, that sound would never come. Due to the request given by Victor to keep the two alive, Dallas made sure to purposefully keep his aim _off_ of the bunny. That didn't keep the fox from enjoying the fear that rolled off of Nick, though.

Judy had been startled out of her stupor with the first gunshot that left a harsh ringing in her ears. She had scrambled in the direction she had hoped was not towards the bullet while her nose twitched and her heart threatened to explode. Suddenly hyper-aware thanks to her police training, Judy felt like she had taken in every detail of her surroundings all at once: the wooden walls and floor; the stacked crates; the four criminals that surrounded her and her husband.

However, after Dallas began to fire at her some more, Judy soon began to realize that the fox had no intention of actually shooting her. She soon began to find a pattern to Dallas's gunshots, and using the excuse of dodging to get a better position, Judy suddenly launched herself at Dallas.

Nick's eyes widened in surprise and relief as the criminal was suddenly tackled to the ground by a familiar gray blur. The shock from the collar couldn't diminish Nick's joy at knowing that Judy was still okay, but it was short-lived as Dallas pushed the bunny off of him and stood up.

"Why you little –!" he exclaimed as he kicked Judy in the stomach. The small bunny fell to her side, clutching her abdomen in pain. "It seems I've got to remind you why you shouldn't stand up to predators! Turn off the lights!" Dallas ordered Wolf; to Hoofston and Chains, he grinned. "And blindfold the fox; wouldn't want him using his night-vision, now would we?"

The last thing Nick saw before the cloth was tightly wrapped over his eyes was Dallas advancing towards Judy with a dangerous look in his eyes.

Nick's anxiety greatly increased now that he couldn't see. His heart beat so fast the fox was sure it was going to explode at any second, and his breath came in uneven, gasping pants. His muscles shook uncontrollably; whether in anticipation of another shock or because of fear of what was going to happen to Judy, Nick did not know.

Suddenly, a low growl caught Nick's attention. The sound sent shivers down the fox's spine, but what came next was even more horrifying. A loud tearing sound suddenly filled the room, followed by a startled gasp that undoubtedly came from Judy. A sharp cry of pain came next, followed by another growl. The faint sound of biting teeth met Nick's ears, followed by the weak scent of blood and another cry of pain.

Nick felt his blood run cold. Another bite, more blood. A tear in clothing, a cry of pain. Another growl, a name being called – his name. Nick struggled against his restraints, desperate to get to Judy. Nick's mind could no longer form rational thought; instinct now drove him. He needed to get to Judy, his mate; he needed to protect her, to keep her safe.

The darkness began to morph, and Nick was suddenly back in the forest clearing, immobilized by that one damned root. There was no rain or thunder, but there was Judy sitting in the center of the clearing, staring in terror at the savage animal before her. Nick's eyes followed the bunny's gaze, revealing Judy's tormentor.

A feral fox with startlingly emerald eyes stalked Judy. Its hackles were raised, its fur bristled, and globules of saliva fell from the growling maw. Hunger filled the fox's eyes as it regarded Judy and slowly advanced. Nick watched in horror as all Judy could do was back away, staring in wide-eyed terror at the beast in front of her.

Nick knew that he _had_ to do something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. Roots burst from the dirt beneath him and curled around his wrists and ankles, rendering his limbs useless. He tried to call out, but even his muzzle was snapped shut as roots violently coiled themselves around it. This didn't stop Nick from struggling, even though a white hot surge of pain that originated from his neck coursed through his body at regular intervals.

The feral predator suddenly pounced on Judy with a loud growl. The bunny's arms were pinned beneath the fox's paws, leaving her helpless and vulnerable. Nick tried to scream, to get Judy's attention and tell her that everything would be alright, but the roots tightened and dug into his flesh, and another wave of pain overtook him.

Suddenly, Judy's shoulder was in the fox's jaw, and the bunny's scream of pain etched itself in Nick's memory. Tears stung at his eyes as he continued to struggle, but the hot pain from his neck was quickly draining his energy. Nick's eyes widened, and a scream tore from his throat as the savage beast removed its maw from Judy's shoulder, taking with it a large chunk of the bunny's flesh.

Judy's cries grew louder as blood flowed freely from the wound. The fox continued to hungrily stare at its prey. It leaned closer to the injured bunny, opening its dripping maw over Judy's vulnerable neck. Though, before it made any move sink its teeth into the bunny's flesh, the fox looked up at Nick. Its emerald eyes regarded the incapacitated fox with a slight curiosity. Suddenly, the emerald eyes morphed into cold sapphire and filled with a victorious smugness.

Before the fox could turn back to the bunny, the entire clearing dissipated into nothingness; Nick was back in the warehouse, tied to a chair, and listening to his mate's pain.

The shock collar administered powerful surges of electricity to the fox, but that didn't stop Nick. He fought against his restraints until the rope cut up his wrists and ankles; he fought until his entire body felt numb due to the amount of electricity coursing through his muscles. A determined growl escaped Nick's throat as the fox thrashed about in the wooden chair.

Suddenly, Nick's face was introduced to the cold, hard ground, knocking the air out of him. The shock collar administered yet another surge of electricity, effectively draining the rest of Nick's energy. The growling, tearing, and biting continued as Nick lay on the ground, still tied to the chair. With no more energy to struggle, the fox cop was left broken and tired as tears streamed down his face.

 _I'm sorry, Judy_ , he thought before blacking out.

* * *

Everything was dark.

It was times like these that Judy wished she had night-vision like her husband.

Judy saw Nick being blindfolded and the look of sheer terror on his face. The bunny had wanted to run to her fox then and there, to comfort him and tell him that everything was alright. All of those thoughts vanished, however, as she noticed Dallas stalking towards her before the lights went out.

Now, the bunny felt alone as she aimlessly groped about in the darkness. She hoped that she could maybe find Nick or that he would find her, but a low growl stopped her in her tracks. The sound came from nowhere and everywhere, surrounding her very being. Judy's nose twitched as her ears swiveled to pinpoint the source. Suddenly, Judy felt the back of her shirt tear as claws ran through it. Startled, the bunny gasped before scrambling away from that spot.

She backed into a warm body. Before she could react, Judy felt sharp claws penetrate the skin of her thigh, eliciting a cry of pain from the bunny as she rolled away. Another growl followed her. Judy came to a stop and immediately scanned the darkness around her. Pain screamed at her from her injury, distracting the bunny for a split second. Suddenly, sharp teeth clamped down on Judy's ear, penetrating the flesh. Judy cried out as she tried to roll free, which only threatened to damage her ear more.

The teeth let Judy free, and the bunny quickly scrambled away. Her breathing was short and sporadic now, and her nose twitched uncontrollably. The darkness began to morph, and Judy was suddenly back at the Bunnyburrow festival, confronting Gideon Grey. However, this Gideon Grey was _much_ bigger, _much_ scarier, and _much_ more dangerous as he loomed over the small bunny.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" the nightmarish fox growled before suddenly locking its teeth around her injured leg. Judy felt them penetrate her skin, eliciting another cry of pain from the bunny. Blood freely flowed down her leg as she scurried away. Her injuries slowed her down considerably, making her easy prey.

Suddenly, white hot pain erupted across Judy's chest as she felt claws slice through her shirt and skin. The bunny curled in on herself as she rolled away, trying to put pressure on the newly inflicted wounds. As another growl echoed around the bunny, Judy shrank into herself and shook with terror.

"Nick..." Judy called in an uneven tone; whether she did so to calm herself down or to remind herself that Nick was still there, the bunny did not know. Her ears perked as she heard the sounds of someone violently struggling against a wooden chair, the repeated _bzzt_ of some electrical device, and a growl that was different from the one that constantly tormented her, yet did nothing to soothe her nerves. At this moment, all it did was tell Judy that there was yet another predator that could be stalking her.

There was a loud thud, and the struggling stopped. The deafening silence that ensued increased Judy's anxiety as she awaited whatever fate the predator had in store for her; she couldn't run anymore. Blood flowed from her ear, chest, and leg, and each wound stung with searing pain. Judy felt tears well up beneath her eyelids, and she did nothing to stop them.

 _I'm sorry Nick,_ she thought as she gave up and curled herself into a ball, sobbing quietly.

Not a second after she did this, though, did her ears pick up the sound of distant police sirens. A powerful wave of relief crashed down upon Judy, and the bunny felt her determination replenish almost immediately.

The growling stopped and was replaced by a gruff voice. "Everyone shut up!" it said, though it was already quiet in the room. The sirens grew louder.

Dallas cursed darkly before standing up on two legs. "The ZPD are here!" he exclaimed. " _Why_ is the ZPD here!?"

The lights were back on. Judy silently gasped as she caught sight of Nick. Her fox was lying on the floor, his body still tied to a chair. Small trickles of blood poured from wounds inflicted on his wrists, ankles, and muzzle. An odd-looking collar was wrapped around his neck, a light from a small, attached box flashing red. The metal contraption on his face nearly crushed Judy's heart.

"Victor!" Dallas's voice drew Judy's attention towards the four criminals. The fox was talking into a radio in his paw; Judy strained to listen to both sides of the conversation.

"What is it this time?" asked a tired-sounding voice from the small device.

"The ZPD is heading our way!" Dallas hissed, his blue eyes flashing with anger.

"What!?" Victor exclaimed. "The mayor said he wouldn't get the police involved!"

The four criminals glanced at each other; Victor didn't sound too convincing.

"What should we do with the cops?" Dallas asked, not even bothering to glance at the two broken mammals behind him.

"Leave them," Victor replied. "The ZPD will be too distracted with finding their best cops that you four will have enough time to escape; I need you here!"

A beat of silence passed as the four criminals considered Victor's orders. They had the two cops in the palm of their paws, and now they had to give them up. However, the desire to stay _out_ of jail conflicted with these desires, leaving each of the convicts in an awkward emotional state.

"Fine," Dallas said, breaking the silence. He quickly turned off the radio before turning back to the two mammals.

Judy quickly went limp, pretending that she hadn't just heard the entire conversation. Whether it was because they actually bought the act, or because they were too worried about the current situation, Judy did not know, but the four criminals paid the bunny and fox no mind as they milled about the warehouse, retrieving their gear and ammunition.

"Man, did you see how riled up that fox was getting?" Wolf asked as they gathered their things. "And over a _bunny_ too!" He doubled over with laughter.

"If you ask me, they got what they deserved _just_ for taking the pred-prey harmony too far," Hoofston said with a disgusted tone of voice. "Thinking about what he must do to her at night is enough to make me sick."

Judy felt her ears grow hot as her anger boiled at what the convicts were saying. While the bunny had grown accustomed to the general prejudice from the city, she _hated_ when other mammals used their hate as an excuse to hurt other mammals.

"Everyone, shut up!" Dallas called from the back door. "You guys can talk about how much you hate these two later; we have to get out of here _now!_ "

The sound of shuffling paws and hooves filled the room before the back door closed, leaving the warehouse silent, save for the ever-growing sound of police sirens. Judy dared not move in case one of the criminals had forgotten something and decided to come back for it. The seconds ticked by at a crawl before Judy heard a small groan escape Nick's throat. Turning towards the fox, Judy's eyes widened in hope as Nick began to stir. One eye fluttered open, followed by another. Ignoring her screaming injuries, Judy crawled over to her fox, tears welling up in her eyes.

Being as careful as possible, Judy began to untie the rope around Nick's wrists and ankles. The chair fell to the side with a clatter, and Nick's body remained on the ground in a more comfortable position. As she removed the metal device from around Nick's muzzle, Judy couldn't help the bout of anger that boiled up inside of her; how dare those four criminals do this to her husband! It was in that anger that Judy chucked the muzzle across the room, but in her current state of fatigue, it only traveled a small distance.

Turning back to Nick, Judy noticed the small collar around his neck. The small box attached to it was flashing red – hopefully not a bad sign. With shaking paws, Judy carefully removed the device and studied it. The strap was made of synthetic, aged leather, and a buckle closed off the open ends. Judy turned the collar to examine the small box. The light was rapidly flashing green, and a small vibration could be heard. Furrowing her brows in confusion as she tried to find the off switch, Judy's paw touched the box. A small surge of electricity pulled her paw back, startling the bunny. Holding her paw close to her chest, Judy watched in weak fear and curiosity as the box suddenly sparked, fizzled, and died; a small stream of smoke was left over from the display.

Judy quickly threw away the apparent torture device and turned back to Nick. The fox was slowly coming to, but Judy could tell that he was spent. Scooting herself closer to her fox, Judy began to gently pet Nick's ears. The police sirens were much closer now.

"J-Judy?" came Nick's weak voice, sounding heartrendingly hopeful.

The bunny felt a small smile form on her muzzle. "Yes, Nick; I'm here."

Suddenly, Judy was in Nick's arms, tightly held to his chest as the fox sobbed silently. The bunny was taken by surprise at first, but soon melted into the embrace and felt a few tears of her own fall down her cheeks.

Nick pulled away for only a moment as he quickly looked Judy over, looking for any signs of damage. Anger boiled up as he saw the bites and cuts Judy had accumulated due to Dallas's "teaching," Nick was beyond relieved that Judy still had her shoulder intact. Once he was satisfied, Nick pulled Judy back into their tight embrace, making sure to be careful of his mate's injuries.

Both cops flinched when they heard the front door explode into the room, Officer McHorn having charged through the wooden obstacle. Other officers quickly filed into the room, along with a group of paramedics. The last to enter the warehouse was the massive figure of Chief Bogo.

Upon seeing the two cops in the middle of the room, Bogo turned to the other officers. "Get me a perimeter around this place! I want _every single crack_ searched; we _are_ going to find these guys," he bellowed before making his way to the fox and bunny. The paramedics followed close behind. "Get these two patched up; I want it to be like this _never_ happened!"

Nick didn't want to let Judy out of his arms, but he didn't want her to suffer, either. So it was with some reluctance that the fox let the bunny free from his embrace long enough to get her injuries treated. The group of paramedics split into pairs; one pair treated Judy while the other treated Nick.

Judy winced as her bites and cuts were cleaned and constantly winced as her more serious injuries were stitched up. Nick wasn't that much better off: his wrists, ankles, and face burned like hell as his injuries were treated. As the paramedics worked, the chief lumbered over to the two cops.

"How are you holding out, Hopps?" Bogo asked, taking a seat on the floor as the paramedics finished with Judy.

"I'm fine," Judy said in a shaky voice; the recent events of the evening continually replayed in her mind. She could still feel the fox's sharp teeth, his razor-like claws; the bunny's shiver had nothing to do with the cold.

Suddenly, a group of officers reentered the warehouse. "Sir!" said Officer Delgato. "We found tire tracks leading away from here!"

"Well then what are you standing around here for!? Follow them!" Bogo bellowed.

"No disrespect sir, but with the blizzard, those tracks won't be visible long enough," Delgato reported.

" _I don't care!_ " Bogo's voice rattled the floorboards. "Follow them for as long as you can and then guess from there. We're not resting until these bastards are put behind bars!"

"Yes sir!" Delgato saluted before he and several other officers exited the building.

Bogo then turned to Nick. "How are you holding up?" he solemnly asked.

Nick sighed. "I don't know," he lied, but he actually _did_ know as he thought to himself, _My body hurts, my mind hurts, and my heart hurts. I've never felt like this before and it scares me._ The fox seemed to brighten as Judy crawled into his lap and showed no sign of moving.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to piece together what had recently happened, and the thought saddened and angered Bogo. The buffalo had a strong idea of what Nick was feeling; the chief had felt it when his wife pushed him out of the way and took a bullet meant for him. Bogo growled as he suppressed the memories and turned to the two cops.

"Don't worry, you're going to be fine," the buffalo grunted; behind his solemn expression was a glimmer of hope. "I'll personally make sure of it if necessary. As for the bastard that did this? They'll be rotting in jail for a _long_ time."

"Hey, Chief?" Judy asked as a thought suddenly formed in her mind. When the cape buffalo acknowledged the bunny, Judy continued, "How did you find us?"

"We got an anonymous tip," was the curt reply.

Judy's brows furrowed in confusion. "But sir, before you got here, the four criminals were talking with Victor; it seemed that they had established a ransom for us."

Bogo's expression darkened. "Well, we didn't hear anything about this ransom," he stated. "I'll have a talk with the mayor; if he's holding anything back from us, rest assured that we'll dig it up."

With that, the buffalo stood up and made his way to a group of officers. Nick and Judy simply embraced, fighting off the harshness of reality with the other's warmth.

A sympathetic expression on his face, one of the paramedics walked over to the couple. "I hate to bother you, but we need to get you to the hospital. They'll be able to thoroughly treat any injuries that we can't. It'll only be for the night, though; you'll be heading home first thing in the morning."

Nick and Judy quickly glanced at each other, an unspoken conversation traveling between them. Turning back to the paramedic, the two cops nodded in understanding. When Nick made a move to stand up, he was quickly stopped by his injuries.

"I thought so," said the paramedic before motioning to the rest of his group. They immediately walked over, carrying a stretcher. With the help of the larger mammals, Nick and Judy were gently placed atop before being wheeled out.

The paramedics paused when Chief Bogo lumbered over. "Officers, you're on leave until further notice," the buffalo stated. "I don't want to see head nor tail of either of you for _at least_ a week, am I clear?"

On any other day, Judy may have argued. She may have said that they still had a case to solve, that they weren't finished yet. But after _very_ recent events, all Judy wanted to do was curl up next to her fox and sleep her troubles away. She and Nick nodded before being wheeled out of the warehouse.

Nick's arms never left their position around Judy during the drive to the hospital, and soon the two cops fell into a restless, dreamless sleep.

 **If you have already reviewed this chapter but still want to due to the change, PLEASE PM me so that I can hear your thoughts on this!** **I love reviews, and I** _ **really**_ **want to know if this rewrite messed with your emotions like I wanted it to. Or if it was just generally terrible. Either/or, you know?**

 **I feel like I've been apologizing to everyone and no one in particular these past few days, but I'll do it again. To all the readers that I accidentally hurt with the near-rape experience in the original script of this chapter, I'm sorry. I know that rape is something that should be brought to awareness and should be dealt with, but writing it in my stories is not how I'm going to do that; because I'm the one making these characters do these things, I feel like I'm just as bad as the raper.**

 **I'm also sorry to myself, who was emotionally drained this past weekend as I tried to overcome my doubts and my being uncomfortable with this chapter. I got praise and criticisms that contradicted each other, and I got people hurt with this chapter; overall, it was not a fun weekend at all. Hell, I had wanted to just give up and quit! "Oh, I hurt readers and wrote something that I didn't like at all? Time to pack up and head out!" But I trudged through it, and I actually managed to have some fun with this rewrite.**

 **I hope that you all can forgive my stupidity and silly emotional state as I try to make up for my mistake and get the ball rolling again. Thank you.**


	10. Aftermath and Punishment

**The rest of the story will be dark from here, so any sensitive readers should tread lightly. I will be dealing with a lot of emotional and physical turmoil from now on.**

If there was one thing that Nick knew right now, it was that he was no longer in the medical ward.

His arms were tied behind the back of a chair; the angle strained his muscles, the dull pain now stinging due to his waking consciousness. His legs were tied to the legs of the chair, rendering him immobile. His breath came to him through labored pants, and his eyes refused to focus on anything.

Nick took a moment to regain his focus, which turned out to be tough going as his mind and body were incredibly sore. Every muscle felt spent, and a strong migraine threatened him every time he tried to think. Whenever Nick could finally get his mind to focus, he realized that he was in a large room filled with wooden crates of all sizes and that Judy was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, an odd, familiar voice called his name. Nick looked around for the source of the noise, but couldn't find it. He tried looking over his shoulder, but his restraints deeply cut into his skin, forcing the fox to turn around. When he did, Nick's eyes locked onto those of his father.

Victor Wilde stood before Nick, a disapproving sneer on his muzzle. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his tail gave an irritated twitch every now and then. Cold, harsh, emerald eyes studied Nick, who wanted nothing more than to be able to shrink in on himself.

"I'm disappointed, son," said Victor, his growling voice echoing throughout the warehouse.

Nick only stared, unsure of what to do.

"I said I'm disappointed, son," Victor repeated, raising his voice. Nick winced, his ears folding against his head.

"You find yourself the perfect mate, and yet you couldn't even keep her safe," Victor leaned forward; Nick felt the older fox's hot breaths against his muzzle. "And you call yourself a fox."

Victor leaned back, his green eyes still glaring daggers into Nick. "She trusted you, _depended_ on you, and you let her down," the father continued as he began to paced around Nick. " _You're_ the predator here, Nick! She should have felt safe just knowing you were in the same room as she! You saw the look on her face: terrified, lonely, betrayed."

Nick began to shake with anger; Judy would _never_ feel that way about him. "You're lying," he whispered.

Victor suddenly launched forward, startling Nick as they were suddenly face-to-face. "Oh really!?" the older fox challenged. "I'd tell you to ask Judy yourself, but I'm afraid she's _busy_ at the moment – being eaten, that is."

Suddenly, loud growling and snarling filled the room. It sounded distant, as if it came from behind the wooden walls of the warehouse. There were muffled screams of pain, and the thick scent of coppery blood began to fill Nick's nose.

" _You_ failed her, Nicholas," Victor stated, pushing away from his son. "You didn't even _try_ to save her. No, once that muzzle was on, you went all, 'Oh God! I'm eight years old again, and I can't get this damn contraption off! I'm officially done for!'" The older fox mocked in a high voice.

Nick growled and struggled against the ropes that held his arms and legs to the chair. "You're lying!" he cried. His teeth flashed in the dim light as he snarled at the older fox. The echoing growl seemed to dim down until. . .

"No he's not, Nicholas," said another voice. Nick froze.

Rachel stepped out of the darkness, wrapping an arm around Victor's waist. Her amber eyes regarded Nick with a deep sadness. The snarling intensified, as did the cries of pain.

"Mom?" Nick croaked, feeling the last of his resolve start to crumble.

The vixen solemnly nodded. "He isn't lying," she repeated. "If you hadn't been unable to drive, maybe this whole thing wouldn't have happened. But it did, and you have to pay the price." Rachel blinked away tears before resting her muzzle in the crook of Victor's neck. The older fox took a moment to soothe his mate before acknowledging Nick again.

"I thought you had learned your lesson when Hunter had kidnapped you: it's _your_ responsibility to care for your mate. She's a bunny – a _prey_ mammal! She's fragile, meek, and helpless!" Victor said.

Nick shook his head as he continued his fight against his restraints. "You're _lying!_ " he shouted, his voice echoing over the ever-present growling. "Judy is _not_ meek or helpless! She's the most spectacular bunny I've ever met, and I've seen her take on predators _three times_ her size!"

His restraints cut into his wrists, but Nick didn't care. His wife was somewhere, alone, hurt, and scared, and his parents were spewing nothing but lies about her. He _had_ to get to Judy, to make sure that she's alright. A growl emanated from somewhere deep inside of his chest before rising up and out of his throat as he pulled against the ropes with all of his might.

A loud snap echoed throughout the room, and everything went eerily silent. Nick ignored his parents as he rubbed his raw wrists before untying the ropes around his ankles. Standing up, Nick pushed past his parents and began walking towards the front door. The horrendous noises remained constant, unaffected by the fox's rage.

"Are you sure you want to see this?" Victor asked over his shoulder.

Nick ignored him and kept walking. The snarls and snaps grew louder.

"Nick," Victor said as he and Rachel turned to follow Nick's movements.

Nick's ears folded against his head as he ignored his father. As he did so, however, the front door seemed to get further away from him, as did the hungry growls. Nick picked up his pace.

"Nick," Rachel called, her voice firm.

Again, Nick blocked out the calls from his parents, and again, the door increased the distance between it and the fox. Nick began to jog towards the door as panic slowly trickled down his spine.

"Nick!" Victor and Rachel called in unison, their voices morphed behind the growling that grew louder with each step that Nick took.

The door was even further now, but that wouldn't stop the fox cop. He picked up his pace again, thankful for the police training that conditioned him. However, as he ran, he felt his heart begin to erratically beat against his chest, and his breathing was anything but even. The omnipresent growling grew louder, seeping from the floorboards and walls.

"Nick!" his parents called again, sounding desperate and afraid.

To Nick, they sounded distant and muffled, as if they were outside the walls of the warehouse now. The door shrank into the horizon and continued to elude the fox. Nick was now desperately sprinting at the door as if his life depended on him getting there. He began to stumble and trip over his own feet as he fled some unseen terror behind him. The growling grew louder, following the fox as he ran.

An uneven floorboard suddenly caught Nick's foot, sending the fox to the ground with a thud.

" _Nick!_ " his parents called again, but they sounded different this time. Whether it was the muffled distortion or the deafening growls, Nick did not know, but he could've sworn that the voice almost sounded like Judy's. . . .

With a mixture of annoyance at his parents' persistence and anxiety from hearing Judy's desperate voice, Nick whipped around, a growl in his throat. "What!?" he shouted before his eyes widened with surprise.

Everything went silent.

Standing before Nick was the very door he had just been trying to reach. The thick scent of blood was pungent now, clearly originating from somewhere behind this door. A small, muffled sob sounded from behind the door, followed by a sharp growl, a sickening crack, and then silence once again.

Nick stifled a gag as his paw hesitantly reached for the doorknob. The putrid stench of blood and decay blasted Nick, making him gag and cough, and a cold wave of dread washed up the fox's spine. He no longer wanted to do this, but he was no longer in control of his body. His paw snaked around the crude doorknob before twisting at the wrist. Nick pushed the door open, the metal hinges creaking loudly.

A feral Dallas stood on all fours before him, his maw coated with fresh blood. Sapphire eyes coldly regarded Nick as the beast stood above its finished meal:

Judy's mangled corpse.

"NICK!"

The fox bolted upright. His eyes frantically searched his surroundings, looking for anything familiar. In his current state, however, even the comforting atmosphere of his room did nothing to soothe his frantic nerves.

Nick began to hyperventilate, and his body began to shake with anticipation of the shock that would never come. He tried to open his mouth but couldn't; his body refused to move his jaw in anticipation of the painful muzzle.

Two paws wrapping around his chest in desperation quickly drew Nick's attention. Looking down, Nick found the one sight that immediately began to calm him down: his wife, alive and well. Her gray fur seemed to shine despite the fact that it was still dark in the room.

The rational part of Nick's brain began working again, and he noticed that Judy had no intentions of releasing her grip on him at the moment. A relieved smile played on the fox's lips as his now-calm arms snaked around the form of his mate. With only a small amount of hesitation – due to the severity of his nightmare – Nick lowered his muzzle and placed a gentle kiss between Judy's ears to calm the both of them down.

They remained like that for a few minutes, refusing to move in case this whole situation was a fragile dream.

It was Nick who broke the silence first. "Are you okay, Carrots?" he asked as he gently stroked her back.

The moment Nick's gentle claws touched her fur, Judy felt her entire body tense for just a second before melting into the soothing action. "I'm alright," Judy replied before glancing up to meet Nick's eyes. "It's _you_ that I'm worried about; you started mumbling and groaning in your sleep, and when you began to toss and turn while your screams got louder, I started to worry. Then I couldn't wake you up, no matter how many times I shook you or called your name."

Nick hugged the bunny tighter to him and was rewarded with Judy's paw gently stroking the fur along his chest and back. "Well, it _eventually_ worked," he joked in a weak tone.

A concerned light entered Judy's eyes. "Are you _sure_ that you're completely alright?" she inquired as her amethyst gaze intently studied Nick; because it was still dark in the room, all Judy could see of her husband was a dim, almost blurry form that looked _similar_ to the fox. "I know that ever since Hunter, you've been known to get anxious from time to time."

"And I learned how to control it so that it didn't keep me from doing my job," Nick stated and placed another kiss between Judy's ears. "I promise, I'm fine."

Judy wasn't convinced, but she trusted Nick. She chose to drop the subject, opting to bury her face in the fur on Nick's chest. She felt the fox chuckle before gently squeezing her body in an affectionate hug that the bunny quickly reciprocated.

"What time is it?" Nick yawned, glancing over at the clock on their bedside table.

It read 6:35 am.

Nick couldn't help but let out an amused groan. "And here I was hoping to get some extra sleep," he complained an a joking tone.

Judy's muffled voice reached his ears. "We don't have any work today; we could always go _back_ to sleep," she suggested.

The corners of Nick's mouth twisted upwards in a warm smile. "That's a wonderful idea," he said as he gently lay back on the bed, bringing the bunny in his arms with him. "When did you get to become such a genius?"

"Very carefully," Judy retorted as she positioned herself in a much more comfortable position next to her fox. "When you live with a dumb fox, it gets hard to keep your intellect intact."

Nick chuckled. "Oh, really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Judy was now comfortably snuggled into Nick's side; the only thing missing was the tail that quickly wrapped over her form like a wonderful, living blanket. "Mm-hmm," she replied before a long yawn escaped her throat. Sleep overcame the bunny before she could make another retort, much to the fox's amusement.

Leaning down to place one last kiss between her ears, Nick smiled. "Goodnight, Judy," he murmured before pulling the large blanket over them and closing his eyes.

Sleep, however, was not so kind to Nick. It refused to visit him throughout the night, leaving the fox to replay his recent dream and the events from the night before in his mind. Nick certainly wasn't helped by all the what-if scenarios that decided to plague his mind, stitching themselves into his memories.

Nick's only comfort throughout the night was the slumbering bunny in his arms – his anchor to reality in the world of his fears.

* * *

Judy was careful not to wake Nick up as she gently pried herself away from his arms. While she was reluctant to do so, she deduced that a nice, warm cup of coffee to wake up to would make Nick's day all the better.

Despite popular belief, coffee was not introduced to the bunny until she and Nick had started dating about two years back. Even then, however, Judy rarely drank any as it would give her a massive headache for the rest of the day.

Then Nick had told her that coffee came in decaf.

The bunny had barely been able to contain her excitement at realizing that the decaf coffee kept her head comfortable and pain-free after a cup. Now, two years later, it was habit for Judy to wake up before Nick on a weekend or a day off to make coffee for them.

As Judy waited for the water to boil, her mind wandered. Normally, Judy wouldn't mind, but this time she tried to keep herself in check; her mind seemed determined to go over the events of two nights before. Unfortunately, Judy was a daydreamer, and old habits die hard; her mind quickly won the battle and sent Judy on an uncomfortable trip down memory lane.

Judy had never felt more relieved to hear the sound of the sirens, declaring that help was on the way. What was done to Nick and her was painful; the bunny couldn't remember the last time – since confronting Gideon – that she felt truly helpless and terrified. Judy's paws began to absentmindedly roam over her body, gently tracing out her new scars on her chest. Her ear was still sore, and though her leg wasn't badly damaged, Judy still walked about with a faint limp.

The trip to the hospital hadn't been as bad as it could have been. Her wounds were checked as they had already been cleaned and stitched closed thanks to the paramedics, and she was prescribed a cleaning solvent for her wounds and a general painkiller.

Even though the doctors decided to keep Nick overnight – after allowing Judy to stay with him, of course – the fox's injuries were not fatal. His wounds were cleaned and bandaged. The doctors checked for any organs that might have shut off due to electrocution, and thank God there were none.

The two cops had been released the next day, and the first thing they did was head home to sleep some more. Nick and Judy did nothing productive for the rest of the day.

A splash of hot water startled Judy and pulled her from her thoughts; the water was boiling. Judy immediately took the kettle off of the heat and poured the water into her French Press before going to check on Nick's coffee. The run-down coffee maker – a relic of Nick's last apartment before moving in with Judy – was incredibly reliable and still brewed top-notch coffee. However, it did take a "few" minutes to heat up.

Satisfied that the coffee would be brewing soon, Judy returned to her French Press. Already, the satisfying aroma of coffee began to fill the kitchen and wafted towards – to Judy's amusement – their bedroom.

The bunny could imagine it now: her fox is in the middle of a wonderful dream before his nose catches the scent of the tasty drink. His eyes flutter open, and it takes him a second to realize that his bunny isn't in bed with him. It takes him _another_ second to finally register and pinpoint the delectable aroma that has been playing at his nose. His smile grows as he walks out of the bedroom to meet his mate in the kitchen, two steaming cups of coffee in her paws.

This was not the case, however. Nick was not smiling. Though it seemed that Sleep had finally decided to be merciful to the fox, it had continued to torment him by keeping Nick on that edge of being awake and falling asleep.

Nick had been awake when Judy got up to make the coffee. However, he had wanted to get some sleep before he felt obliged to wake up, so he decided to stay in bed. Without Judy, however, his mind constantly tortured him with the threat of nightmares.

The aroma of coffee helped soothe his troubled mind, but it also made the fox groan. Now that he had gotten a whiff of the scent, there would be no more sleep for him.

 _At least I don't have any work today,_ Nick thought as he reluctantly removed himself from the sheets. Upon hearing his spine pop back into place as he stretched, Nick threw on loose-fitting clothes and trudged out into the kitchen.

Despite his tired mood, the fox couldn't help but genuinely smile at the sight of his wife with two steaming mugs of coffee in her paw; he couldn't help but inwardly chuckle at the sight of Judy carrying the mug that was Nick's size.

The fox made his way to Judy, enveloping her in a hug after retrieving his coffee. Their lips met in a soft kiss that chased away any sour feelings Nick felt.

"Morning Nick," Judy said after the kiss was broken. "Did you sleep well?"

"Nope," Nick replied truthfully before making his way to the couch. "There was the bunny that kept elbowing me in her sleep; I think she was having a bad dream or something."

Judy's brow furrowed in confusion as she sat next to the fox. "I don't remember any bad dreams, and you'd be darned before I go believing that you'd leave me for someone else."

Nick shrugged as he took a sip of his coffee. "You never know; there might be _someone_ out there that can almost hold a candle to your good looks."

Judy rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee to hide the smile that decided to take residence on her face thanks to her husband's compliment. It didn't take long, however, for her concern to grow as she studied the bags around Nick's eyes. "Did you get _any_ sleep?" she asked, and Nick turned to gaze out towards their balcony.

The sigh that emanated from Nick didn't do much for her hopes. "No," Nick confessed before taking another sip; his eyes never left the cityscape. "No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it. I don't know if my mind was being hyperactive, or if, for some reason, my nocturnal instincts finally decided to take themselves seriously."

Judy placed a paw on Nick's arm before gently stroking the fox's fur. Nick turned, his gaze locking with Judy's. Despite his tired outward appearance, Judy was surprised to find that Nick's eyes shone as bright as ever.

"Though, having a beautiful bunny such as yourself to hang out _is_ rather rejuvenating," Nick joked before placing a quick kiss on Judy's forehead. The action had the desired effect: a smile from Judy and her body snuggling closer. Nick wrapped his tail around the bunny as his smile widened.

"So, Mr. Smooth," Judy said after taking a sip of her coffee, "what shall we do today?"

Nick scratched beneath his chin in thought. "Well, I was thinking that we just sit around here and watch TV," he suggested after a moment. "I don't feel like showing my face out in public right now."

On any other day, Judy may have argued. She may have suggested that they go jogging or visit Finnick _\- anything_ to get out of the house. But, she too was emotionally and physically drained from recent events.

"I like that plan," Judy agreed as she made herself more comfortable next to her husband. "Besides, it means I get to spend the day with my handsome fox."

Nick quickly swiveled his head, his eyes scanning the room. "I'm sorry Carrots, but I don't see any handsome foxes around here!" he joked.

A mischievous light in her eyes, Judy took a sip of her coffee. "You're right; I have to invite him over first."

Nick chuckled as he raised his paw to ruffle Judy's ears. He paused, however, when his eyes fell upon the bandaged appendage. Frowning slightly, Nick moved his paw to wrap around the bunny instead. "Touche, Carrots," he admitted before reaching for the remote. "Let's see what's on Zetflix, shall we?"

"Let's," Judy agreed, snuggling into her fox for his warmth more than anything else.

* * *

A series of sharp knocks caught Victor's attention. Turning towards the door of his office, the older fox called out, "Come in!" before turning back to stare at one particular item on one of the many shelves.

The door opened, and the four criminals filed into the room. "You wanted to see us, Victor?" Dallas asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

For the entirety of the previous day, Victor had avoided the four criminals, choosing not to acknowledge their existence. Seeing them lined up before him now only stoked the anger that he had been vainly trying to suppress.

Keeping his voice as calm and collected as possible, Victor answered the younger fox. "Yes, Dallas. We have important matters to discuss."

The older fox briskly turned and walked to his desk, retrieving a few items from within its drawers. He quietly set the objects on the table, not bothering to glance at the four mammals before him.

"Look, if this is about what happened two days ago, the ZPD arriving wasn't our fault," Dallas began.

"Of course not," Victor immediately replied as he finished emptying the desk of the desired items. He turned towards the younger fox. "You guys did a good job following orders; you left those cops behind and managed not to get caught."

Victor then began to slowly saunter around the desk, keeping his dark eyes on the quartet. "No, this is about something else entirely; something I should have been more careful with."

Hoofston cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What could that have been?" he asked; hearing that such an organized fox like Victor had made a mistake was disconcerting, to say the least.

Emerald eyes snapped towards the zebra, sending a chill down Hoofston's spine. "Well, you see," Victor began, pausing in his advances to retrieve a bottle of scotch. This was when the four criminals noticed a second object in Victor's hand. "I have a few, uh, _critiques_ about your methods of torture – _specifically_ towards my son and daughter-in-law."

Dallas rolled his eyes. "For the love of God, Victor," he groaned, "I know you need them, but that doesn't mean that they can't be punished! He's a _fox,_ she's a _bunny,_ for Christ's sake!"

Victor regarded the younger fox curiously. "True. What they have _is_ against what society calls 'normal,'" he stated slowly as he carefully advanced to the quartet. "But that isn't my point. You said I needed them, which is true, but I need them at their _best_ if my plan is going to work – _not_ emotionally and physically broken!

"Besides, I _still_ need to repay you for your little escapade from earlier," Victor said, a cruel grin creeping over his muzzle. The criminals stood their ground.

"What're you gonna do, huh?" Dallas challenged. "You've already said you needed us alive, so I think killing is not a choice."

"It might very well be for what you put my son through!" Victor suddenly snapped. The four criminals barely flinched, though a rising sense of dread was slowly crawling up their back. Victor took a moment to take a large swig of scotch to calm himself before continuing. "You see this?" he asked, holding up his other paw; inside was a police radio. "This was Officer Wilde's. I stole it from him so that I could keep tabs on the police. Apparently, the day that he and Officer Hopps visited my amusement park, he had already replaced this with a radio he had on his person."

"Meaning?" Dallas asked with a bored tone.

Victor stood directly in front of the younger fox, his cold, emerald eyes studying Dallas' face. "It means that I could hear _everything,_ " he said, and a malicious grin spread across his features. "And I have to say: using a tame collar on my son was a _very_ stupid move."

Dallas rolled his eyes again, but in doing so, he noticed the glass case on the shelf. His insides turned to ice as his mind registered what has held inside: a broken tame collar. Glancing back at the fox in front of him, Dallas could see the broiling anger behind the calm, cool facade in those green eyes.

"Don't get me started on what you did to that poor bunny," Victor growled as his gaze never left Dallas. "I honestly would have thought that _you_ of all mammals would understand the friendship between predator and prey!"

Dallas did not dare to challenge the angered fox, though his stomach churned at the thought of a fox and a bunny being married. It just wasn't _natural_.

The older fox took another swig of scotch before stepping away from the quartet. "However, I don't need to keep rambling on about how you potentially destroyed any chances of my plan working," he said in an eerily casual tone. Placing the radio in his pocket, Victor gestured towards the desk with his free paw. "On the desk is your next payment – all cash. Take it, and get out of my sight; Tony will let you know when your next 'appointment' is."

Dallas and the others watched as Victor took a swig of his scotch, seemingly uninterested in the whole situation. The four criminals stood still for a moment, warily eyeing the older fox.

Victor turned to them with an exasperated and impatient look on his face. "I'm serious! Get your money and get out! I've got _very_ important planning to take care of!"

Still uncertain, Dallas decided to very slowly make his way to the desk as he constantly glanced towards the older fox.

Victor groaned and rolled his eyes before walking towards the desk. "Never trust a fox, huh?" grumbled as he reached for one of the four briefcases on the desk. . . with the paw that held the bottle of scotch. "Well, you're right," the older fox said before suddenly pulling his paw back. The cheap glass bottle struck Dallas in the face, breaking with the force of the impact. As the younger fox reflexively leaned back, Victor used his free paw to grab the back of Dallas' head and ram it into the side of the desk. A sickening crack filled the room as Victor turned towards the other criminals.

Rolling to quickly cover the distance, Victor made his way to the trio of mammals. By now, the general surprise had worn off enough, so the criminals were ready to fight. Victor targeted Hoofston first, deftly blocking the zebra's punches. The older fox batted Hoofston's hoof to the side before delivering a crippling kick to the zebra's shin. As Hoofston fell to one knee, so did his defenses. Victor jabbed the zebra in the gut – temporarily incapacitating Hoofston – before whipping around to combat Wolf.

The large canine was agile despite his size in comparison to the fox. Victor found himself on the defensive as Wolf's claws kept getting way too close for comfort. And there was Chains, the massive bear towering over the smaller mammals. The fox's ear perked as he felt Chains raise his meaty paw into the air. Victor suddenly ducked between Wolf's legs, and Chains' fist met the carpeted concrete floor. Whipping around, Victor used his claws to slash at the back of Wolf's knees. The canine howled in pain before falling to the ground and rolling away from the fox.

By this time, Dallas had picked himself up from the desk. His fur was matted with a mixture of blood and scotch. Spitting some of the red liquid from his mouth, the younger fox charged at Victor. The older fox noticed this _and_ the massive bear getting ready to squash him. Just as Chains swiped at Victor, the crime boss rolled towards Dallas. The younger fox was taken by surprise for a split second before deftly attacking Victor. As Victor's defenses were strong, Dallas constantly glanced about the room to see which of his cohorts would be available to sneak up on the older fox. The distraction paid him dearly.

Victor suddenly went on the offensive, grabbing Dallas' paw before spinning into the fox's personal space. With Dallas' arm on his shoulder, Victor used his other paw to push at the elbow. A crack was heard, followed by Dallas' scream of pain. The older fox then bent over and pulled Dallas' arm simultaneously, flipping the younger fox over Victor's back and onto the cold, hard ground.

Hoofston now charged at Victor again, and Chains followed behind him. The older fox tensed the muscles in his legs before launching himself at the zebra. The sudden weight of the fox bent Hoofston over, giving Victor enough space from which to launch himself at the massive bear. Chains cried out as Victor's claws penetrated his shirt and dug into his skin, but then immediately went to swinging his paws at the fox that now climbed over his body. Victor made his way onto Chains' back and immediately wrapped and arm around the bear's neck and, using his other paw for leverage, Victor squeezed.

Unfortunately for the fox, Chains' neck was too thick for the stranglehold to work. With a laugh, the large bear grabbed Victor and flung the fox across the room. Victor landed on the desk with a loud crash.

 _Should've saved the bottle for him_ , Victor thought with a rueful smile. He quickly picked himself up and stood on the desk, staring at the four criminals, some of whom were picking themselves up to continue the fight. "Come on, boys! I know I started it, but do we really have to keep doing this?" Victor asked in a jovial tone. Upon seeing the scowls sent his way, Victor chuckled. "Alright then, have it your way."

The older fox suddenly jumped towards the three smaller mammals and landed in between them. He turned to Dallas, blocking the fox's one-pawed punches. Then, Victor quickly whipped around to Hoofston, who had snuck up behind the older fox. After ducking under the first punch, Victor quickly delivered a powerful uppercut to the zebra's snout. As Hoofston reflexively leaned back, the older fox quickly turned to Wolf. The large canine lunged at Victor, his claws outstretched. He met with air, however, as Victor had snuck into Wolf's personal space. A sudden weight pulled Wolf down as Victor clamored up and onto the canine's back before launching at Chains again.

This time, Victor didn't go for a stranglehold. Instead, he held onto the neck of Chains' shirt and delivered a lightning-fast blow to the bear's jaw. The impact temporarily left Chains dazed as Victor then climbed around onto his back. With little control over his body at the moment, the added weight began to pull Chains back. The bear shook his head to chase away the stars in his vision and straightened up before grabbing Victor and once again throwing him across the room. Only this time, his aim was off.

Victor was launched directly at Wolf, who had turned to watch the fox get pummeled by Chains. Unfortunately for him, Victor did _not_ get pummeled; instead, he was now flying towards him with his arms outstretched. Victor caught the canine around the neck, twisting Wolf around the face the floor. With the unexpected attack, Wolf was bent over, and Victor's firm grip kept him from regaining his balance. The older fox wasted no time as he began to pummel Wolf's face. When the canine's paws came up to protect his muzzle, Victor resorted to kicking the wolf in the gut. As the other three criminals began to charge at the fox, Victor socked Wolf across the jaw one last time before launching the canine into the desk. With a loud crash and an equally sickening crack, the criminal broke through the wood and lay still.

Wolf was down for the count.

Victor quickly rolled away before the others could reach him, giving the fox time to catch his breath. As he analyzed his surroundings, Victor realized that the bear was going to be a problem. Glancing towards the desk, however, the older fox knew what he had to do. It didn't make him happy, though, as it could end the fight for him.

 _I'm getting too old for this,_ Victor thought as he charged towards Dallas and Hoofston. The fox ducked under Dallas' first blow and promptly knocked the convict to the ground. As Hoofston swung at the crime boss, Victor simply ducked and punched the zebra's injured leg. Hoofston crumpled to the ground and rolled away from Victor, much to the fox's relief; the zebra wasn't the current target. Victor quickly scrambled onto the desk and retrieved one of the heavy briefcases.

A roar from behind caught the fox's attention, but instead of whipping around, Victor rolled to the side. His hunch was correct, for not a split second later the desk vibrated under the impact of Chains' fist. Now Victor whipped around and launched himself at the bear. He quickly climbed around to straddle the criminal's neck before reaching around and clawing at the bear's eyes. A scream of pain emanated from Chains' throat. Victor dropped to the floor behind Chains and swung the briefcase into the bear's leg behind the knee. As Chains fell to the ground, Victor had to suppress the urge to call out "Timber!"

With one paw over his injured eye, Chains turned around and swung his other paw at Victor. His aim was off, throwing his balance off as well. Chains had to use his free paw to keep himself from falling to the ground, playing right into Victor's advantage. The fox swung the briefcase into Chains' elbow, smiling at the small 'pop!' that sounded as the bear's arm buckled. Before the bear could recover, Victor dropped the briefcase and grabbed the back of Chains' head with both paws. Mustering all the strength that he could, Victor then smacked the bear's head into the concrete floor, breaking Chains' muzzle and incapacitating the bear.

Chains was down for the count.

Victor nearly cried out in joy before a snarl from behind reminded him that there were still two more convicts to go. Whipping around, Victor barely had enough time to dodge the claws that lunged for his jugular. Dallas was thrown off-balance as he missed, allowing Victor to whirl around and land a blow on the back of the fox's head. As Dallas landed on Chains' unconscious body and stayed there, Victor turned towards Hoofston, who was just picking himself up from the ground.

Without wasting any time, the older fox quickly advanced toward and stepped behind Hoofston. Victor gave the injured leg another kick, knocking the zebra down and placing Hoofston's throat within reach. Wrapping one arm around the zebra's neck and clasping paws, Victor began to strangle Hoofston. The zebra tried to land a hit on the fox; being smaller and having a leaner build, however, Hoofston began to succumb to the stranglehold. Victor counted to ten and felt the zebra go limp in his arms before releasing his grip. Hoofston harmlessly crumpled into a heap on the ground before Victor.

Hoofston was down for the count.

A groan caught Victor's attention, and his emerald eyes snapped onto Dallas as the younger fox slowly picked himself up off of Chains' body. With a calm gait, Victor advanced on the criminal. He grabbed Dallas by the collar and pulled; Dallas' ragdoll body followed as he was still dazed. The younger fox's dizziness, however, vanished as a pair of cold emerald eyes filled his vision.

"I hope I have made myself clear," Victor said in a cold, even tone. "No one is to mess with my children again."

The last thing Dallas saw was Victor pulling his fist back before the young fox's world was filled with darkness.

Dallas was down for the count.

* * *

As if nothing had happened, Victor calmly returned to his desk, dusting off his paws as he did so. He didn't bother to clean up the mess that was now on his desk; instead, the fox reached for an intercom and pressed the button.

"Don?" he inquired.

"Yes, señor?" came the reply.

Without so much as a glance at the four unconscious criminals lying in heaps on the ground in his office, Victor continued in a calm tone, "Could you and Tony come to my office immediately? I have four dumb idiots that need a checkup. Actually, now that I think about it," the fox added, glancing at his bloodied fist, "I may also need one as well."

"You got it, Victor. We're on our way," Don said before the line went dead. Victor could hear the smile in the horse's voice.

As the fox leaned back in his chair, a sigh escaped his throat, and tiredness began to finally set in. He _was_ getting too old for this. Glancing towards one of the framed photos on his shelf, Victor smiled.

Inside the frame was a newspaper clipping dated back about two years ago. The headline declared that the ZPD had just earned its first fox officer. The picture revealed a brightly beaming Nick with his arm around his best friend: the bunny that made this all possible for him.

"Don't let this get you down, Nicky boy," Victor mumbled to himself as he turned away. "I still need you."


	11. Old Friends, Dark Times

**Warning: Nick and Judy BOTH start dealing with their emotional trauma in different ways, so if you are sensitive to PTSD and the like, read with caution or skip these chapters!**

Turning her attention away from the TV, Judy looked up at the fox dozing against her side. Nick looked rather peaceful at first glance: his body gently leaned against hers, his head rested back against the couch, and his mouth comically hung open. However, as Judy continued to study her husband, she realized that even now his anxiety was tormenting him. His ears constantly twitched out of aggravation, his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, and pained whimpers escaped his throat in an almost imperceptible volume.

Judy soothingly stroked Nick's neck, grinning when the nervous ticks in Nick's body vanished and a content smile spread across his muzzle. As she continued to comfort Nick, Judy's thoughts began to wander. Everything, from their current case to how her parents were doing in Bunnyburrow, crossed her mind.

One of the stranger thoughts that took residence in her head was that of Nick's father. Despite having not met the fox in person, Judy seemed to be able to recall the fox in fuzzy detail. In fact, as she thought about Victor, she realized that she _had_ met him in person. Why it felt like a hazy dream instead of a legitimate memory, Judy did not know.

Victor definitely didn't act like she would have thought, though she didn't have a very sturdy foundation based on the snippets of information retrieved from Rachel and Wooly. Judy kept herself from making any _strong_ assumptions about Victor, knowing that she could allow deep-seated prejudice take over her judgments.

However, that didn't stop her from profiling _just_ a little bit, which led to the visit in the medical ward being rather strange. Judy thought Victor would be similar to the Nick that Judy first met: cynical and annoying with the cruelty of a crime boss added in. Who she met was a caring father who seemed to have lost his way. The discovery unnerved Judy more than anything; knowing Nick, it wasn't hard to assume that Victor's actions could just be a mask.

"Hey Carrots, you alright there?" Nick suddenly asked. Judy gently flinched as she was pulled from her thoughts and turned her gaze towards the fox, but she still resumed stroking Nick's neck.

"I'm fine," Judy replied in a quiet voice before nestling herself into Nick's side. After seeing Nick's quirked eyebrow, she sighed before continuing, "I just can't help but think of this case or, more specifically, how it led us to meet your father."

Nick sighed deeply, his eyes glazing over ever so slightly. "That was rather unexpected, wasn't it, Carrots?"

Judy nodded. "Very. Heck, if I hadn't already known about his past, I wouldn't have guessed that he was a crime boss," she exclaimed.

"We foxes are very complicated, Carrots," Nick stated, lacking the joking tone that normally went with a remark like this – instead, Nick harbored a cold, hurt tone. "Don't let our outer shells fool you: unlike me, Victor may not be such a nice fox underneath."

Judy studied Nick. His eyes were vacant, his ears and tail refused to twitch in any way, and Nick's breathing was a little too long and drawn-out. He was in "don't let them see that they get to you" mode, something he hadn't used particularly often since he graduated the academy.

Judy was determined to get Nick out of this funk, whether he liked it or not. Standing up from the couch caught Nick's attention as he had to compensate for the sudden lack of comforting bunny to gently lean on. "Come on, Slick," Judy requested as she made her way to the bedroom. "We're going for a walk!"

Nick hesitated as his eyes trailed after his wife. "What? Why?" he called back. He didn't feel like being around people today, and his mind couldn't help but bring up negative what-if scenarios with many different, unwanted outcomes.

"Because I don't want to be cooped up in the house for the entire week, and –" Nick heard Judy pause.

A beat of silence passed before Nick spoke up, though he had an idea of what Judy was going to say. "And what, Carrots?"

He heard Judy sigh. "And it might help with your anxiety."

It was Nick's turn to pause, though for a different reason, and his ears folded against his head. Being a fox meant being instinctively protective of his mate, and while even that instinct was watered down thanks to the evolution of society, it still managed to affect Nick. Whenever Judy felt hurt, Nick needed to do everything he could to make sure that she felt safe and content. However, now that the source of Judy's hurt was him, Nick felt conflicted between going to her and leaving her be.

In the end, however, Nick found himself standing behind Judy, gazing at her in the mirror before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a warm embrace.

"You know, Carrots, there's no need to keep worrying about me," Nick mumbled as he rested his muzzle between the bunny's ears.

Judy leaned into the embrace. "I just can't help but feel guilty," she began, her gaze downcast to avoid meeting Nick's eyes in the mirror, "like everything's my fault. All of your anxiety is based on me being alright or not, but had it not been for my carelessness, we would never have gotten kidnapped by Hunter _or_ those four guys. You would never have been injected with Night Howler, and we would never have been tortured. We would both be at work right now, trying to make the world a better place."

Nick noticed Judy flinch ever-so-slightly as he traced a gentle claw up and down her side, but the bunny soon melted into the calming action. "Judy, take it from a fox whose self-blaming kept him from seeing his mother again for twenty years: stop. Do _not_ blame yourself for any of this. You'll only end up hurting yourself more than you need to," Nick gently ordered as he placed a loving kiss between Judy's ears. "You know, now that I think about it, I think a walk would be a great idea. If anything, it'll help _you_ out more than it will me." Nick let Judy turn herself around to pull him into a kiss before releasing her from his embrace.

"Alright then," Judy said as she turned towards the closet. "But you'll need to change if I'm going to be seen with you in public!"

Despite chuckling at the joke, Nick couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had started to creep up his spine. Judy had _never_ reacted to his touch like that before, and it surprised Nick. However, before his anxiety-riddled mind could start coming up with ludicrous possibilities behind Judy's actions, Nick reminded himself that they were both going through a lot of stress, leaving them both rather tired.

 _Maybe this walk really_ is _a good idea after all,_ Nick thought before turning to the closet himself, grabbing a change of clothes, and walking to the bathroom.

* * *

Connor Lyon nervously glanced to the two polar bears that flanked him as he was led through the Big manor. Even though he was part of the Family, he couldn't help but feel a rising sense of unease whenever he was called upon by Mr. Big. The gloomy decorations in the house certainly didn't help, either.

Dark wallpaper sucked all of the happy emotions out of Connor, leaving him with anxiety, fear, and dread. He couldn't help but imagine what effect the wallpapers had on someone who was in _trouble_ with the crime boss.

However, there were a few framed painting on the walls that caught Connor's eyes that somewhat put him at ease. Portraits of Mr. Big, his children, and his parents lined the corridor, and every mammal seemed to judgmentally glare at him. Connor smirked back at the paintings – being the doctor for the Big family had led him to become close friends with the shrews.

Of course, all of Connor's ease vanished as if it had never been there the moment he came face to face with the large, mahogany double doors that led to the main office. He knew he shouldn't have been nervous – his boss wasn't forcing him here by any means – but the feeling couldn't be helped; everything about the trip to this room was designed to invoke fear and respect in friends and foes alike.

The two polar bears lagged behind as Connor stepped up to the door and gave three sharp knocks that echoed through the hall behind them. A silence followed before Connor's ears picked up the verbal invitation from behind the door. After taking a deep breath to steady himself, he opened the doors and entered the main office.

As the exit closed behind him, Connor realized that he hadn't been in this part of the Big manor in years. He had almost forgotten about the portrait of Mr. Big's mother that hung over the fireplace. The desk was larger than he remembered, and was the rug on the floor new? Just before the raccoon stooped to inspect the carpet beneath his feet, a door to the side of the room opened, drawing Connor's attention.

Questions raced through Connor's mind as the procession of well-dressed polar bears entered the room and took their place next to the desk. Connor was familiar with this process as it was used for new guests or anyone who had unfortunately crossed the shrew. So, why was Mr. Big going through all this trouble just to have a visit with his doctor? When the largest polar bear finally ducked through the doors and lumbered towards the desk, an icy knot formed in the pit of Connor's stomach; maybe he _had_ done something wrong, and he was about to be in _big_ trouble.

Connor remained frozen on the spot as Mr. Big was finally placed on the desk and turned around. Immediately, all of the raccoon's unease was replaced with worry – the shrew did not look good. The sheen in his fur was lackluster, his cheeks were thin, and his breathing was incredibly labored.

"My God, Big, what's wrong?" Connor gasped before stepped forward to get a closer look at the shrew. His medical training quickly took priority in his mind. He didn't even realize that had he not been part of the Family, the move he just made would have immediately gotten him iced.

The hacking cough from the shrew did not sound like good news. "I'm fine, Connor," Mr. Big wheezed. His voice sounded incredibly tired. "I'm just old, that's all."

"You can't be any more than fifty!" Connor exclaimed as his practiced paws allowed him to carefully examine the tiny mammal. Without the right equipment, however, the raccoon could only guess that Mr. Big had caught some nasty cold.

"I thank you for the compliment," Mr. Big mumbled as he gently batted away Connor's paws, "but I am fine. I didn't ask you to come here for a check-up."

Reluctantly, Connor stepped away from the desk. "With all due respect, sir, if you have time after our meeting I _strongly_ recommend seeing a doctor –" the raccoon began, but was interrupted by Mr. Big's raised paw.

"I am fine, Connor," the shrew repeated with a cold tone. Connor immediately closed his jaw and fell silent. "I appreciate your concern, but I have this covered. It's not like I haven't been sick before."

Another coughing fit shook Mr. Big's body; the shrew sounded worse than before. When he calmed down and cleared his throat, Mr. Big turned back to Connor. "I called you here because I have something very important to discuss. You have been a fantastic part of this Family: I cannot begin to count the numerous times you have successfully treated myself or one of my children, and I thank you for that. However, due to upcoming circumstances that I cannot disclose at the moment, I must ask you to begin looking for a legitimate line of work."

The shrew's words smacked Connor in the face. "Wh-what?" he stammered. Did he hear Mr. Big right?

"I know this is a strange request, but trust me on this, Connor," Mr. Big continued, his tired voice sounding sad. "You have incredible talents that can be used elsewhere. I can't keep them for myself forever."

"But s-sir!" Connor cried, still unbelieving of what he was hearing. "I don't _need_ a real job! I'm fine right here! B-besides, who would want to hire someone with my – uh – _disposition?_ "

The raccoon shamefully dipped his head, missing the sympathetic smile from the shrew. "My child, how long has it been since you have stolen anything, hmm?" Mr. Big inquired.

Connor paused. "I don't know," he halfheartedly confessed. "A week, a month. It doesn't make any difference."

"It does, Connor," Mr. Big said as he leaned forward, his determined gaze hidden behind his enormous eyebrows, but Connor could still feel those eyes on him. "It makes _all_ of the difference. You're so worried about being able to control your impulses when you've hardly acted upon them!"

"I just haven't had anything new to steal yet," Connor mumbled under his breath despite the warm feeling that began to flicker in his chest.

Mr. Big's chuckle quickly morphed into a wheezing cough that lasted for a few moments before the shrew could finally calm down. "If that were the case, then why didn't you avidly search for new things, hmm?" Mr. Big contended with a small grin on his face. "Listen, Connor, I know that you're ready, but you don't have to make the decision if you aren't. However, I do recommend coming to a decision sooner than later."

Connor nodded quietly.

"Good. Now, it's a lovely day outside," Mr. Big mused, glancing out one of the frosted windows. "Why don't you take a walk and mull things over. If you want, I'll have Jim drive you somewhere warmer." With a nod from the shrew, the large polar bear stood up from the desk, walked past Connor, and exited the office.

"Thank you, sir," Connor muttered before stepping forward to carefully kiss Mr. Big's ring.

"You are welcome, my child," Mr. Big responded as the raccoon turned and followed the large polar bear. When the mahogany doors closed, the office was left in silence. A silence that was soon broken by another coughing fit from Mr. Big.

"Damn throat," he cursed as he gently rubbed his neck. Mr. Big then glanced towards one of the other polar bears. "Get Victor on the phone – there's been a change of plans."

* * *

The warm, Sahara Square breeze tickled Connor's fur as he walked through the normally busy streets. The raccoon was rather lucky to have picked the only time that the sidewalk was virtually deserted; Connor's best thinking was done when he was alone. Aimlessly walking gave more brainpower to the decision that Connor was trying to make. Mr. Big's praise and encouragement had planted the seed of hope inside of him but Connor couldn't help but be skeptical.

Connor's parents were as normal as normal could get for him. They had well-paying jobs, good friends, and cheerful dispositions. Connor, on the other hand, was an odd child. He had kept to himself a lot marking him the social outcast in school. However, being the clever raccoon that he was, Connor had devised a plan. In order to make friends – as it said on most of his favorite TV shows – you had to have a lot of things. Why else did the rich kid have all the friends?

Thanks to his plan, Connor began to horde all of his toys, creating a collection that he hoped would impress the other kids at school. For a while, it worked. Connor had begun to make friends that wanted to come over and play with his toys. Then _new_ toys started coming out – toys that his parents couldn't afford. Desperation had seeped into the raccoon's mind, and soon Connor found himself stealing from the other kids to add to his collection.

What started as an act of jealousy to keep his friend list growing became a sickness – he wouldn't eat or sleep properly if there was a toy that someone else had that he didn't. Connor was eventually caught and expelled, and his parents finally found out what had happened. They were appalled, yes, but that was all Connor knew about it. He didn't hear the hushed conversations at night about trying a new school where he could somewhat light make friends. He didn't see the sympathetic smiles from his mother and father. So, Connor eventually ran away and never looked back.

While Connor was "normal" _now_ , he couldn't help but suspect that his old habits would rise again should he reenter the workforce. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't see the fox and bunny walking hand-in-hand on the other side of the street, but they saw him.

"Connor!" cried Judy, jerking the kleptomaniac from his thoughts. Connor turned his head in time to see an energetic bunny pulling a rather reluctant fox behind him. His eyes brightened.

"Officers Hopps and Wilde!" he exclaimed as a grin spread across his face. "How are you two doing?"

"We're fine. Just going for a walk," Judy answered with a smile of her own.

"Glad to hear it, _especially_ after what happened," Connor commented, and he immediately noticed the tension suddenly radiating off of Nick.

While the two officers had agreed with Bogo to have the story published on the media – under very strong and _specific_ criteria that were, of course, bent by the news stations – Nick and Judy hadn't been prepared for the endless amount of apologies and well-wishes from citizens, friends, and family alike. It made it rather hard to forget the whole event.

"Anyway," Connor blurted to change the uncomfortable subject. "It's been a while since you two visited me. What have you guys been up to that hasn't already been plastered all over the media?"

"Oh, just a few visits to my parents' place and the usual paperwork or patrol duty," Judy answered as she gently squeezed her husband's paw to calm him down. "What about you? How have you been?"

"Fine as well," Connor deflected, placing his paws in his pocket.

"You must be more than fine since you're actually out in daylight," Nick joked.

Connor cracked a smile. "I guess you're right," he agreed before taking a deep breath. "Mr. Big has asked me to look into a new line of work. He didn't give me the _exact_ reason why, but he made me hopeful."

Nick quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Are you sure he's not playing some weird trick on you? I mean, you know, because of your condi-"

"Yeah, I thought so too," Connor interrupted as he scratched at his neck, "but I doubt it. He looked _awful._ I don't know if he's eaten at all over the past few days, and he has quite a nasty cough. It could be a cold, but it could also be something worse."

Concern etched itself over Nick and Judy's features. "I recommended that he check in with a doctor, so we'll see what happens," the raccoon continued. "If worse comes to worse, I'll have his polar bears drag him to my house, and I'll treat him myself."

"Mr. Big sounds like he's in good paws," Nick said.

Connor nodded his thanks to the fox before the bunny spoke up. "So, where do you think you'd want to work?" Judy inquired.

"I'm not sure," the raccoon replied. "I have the necessary qualifications to become a doctor anywhere I wanted, but Forensic Science is really fun, too." The fox and bunny nodded in understanding. If it weren't for Connor's forensic abilities, they wouldn't have been able to find Hunter a year ago.

Judy's ears suddenly perked up. "Wait a minute!" she excitedly blurted, startling the two males. "Why don't you try to get a job at the ZPD? We could use someone with your skills on the force! Plus, you could double in the infirmary too!"

The idea resonated in Connor's mind. The ZPD had been a proud time in his life as he helped uncover the evidence needed to solve the hardest cases. However, being around all that shiny equipment had been very hard on his condition, and soon he found himself sneaking something home with him every night. At that rate, he was caught fairly quickly and promptly disciplined.

Connor frowned. "I'm not sure about that. Remember, I already was a part of the ZPD before, and they fired me because of my kleptomania. Why would they want to hire me again if all I'm gonna do is steal from them?" he muttered.

Judy didn't take "sulking" for an answer. "Who said you were going to steal from them?" she asked. As Connor opened his mouth to speak, Judy held up a paw to interrupt him. "Don't answer that. There are ways you can get over your kleptomania, Connor. Besides, I'm sure your benefits would outweigh your downsides!"

"While I appreciate the support, that's not for you to decide – that's my employer's job," Connor admitted before sighing heavily. "But, I will _at least_ put in an application to the ZPD if it makes you happy."

The bunny beamed brightly. "Nick and I will make sure to put in a good word for you, won't we, Nick?" Judy asked as she gently elbowed Nick.

Nick chuckled. "You bet! You'll be a welcome change from the _sloths_ we have to work with, that's for sure."

"Thanks guys," Connor muttered bashfully. "Anyways, I've got to go. There are too many places to choose from, so the sooner I narrow my choices down the better." The raccoon began to walk past the two cops, who turned and waved.

An odd, warm feeling rushed through Connor as he continued his journey into the city. The feeling was similar to one he felt back in Mr. Big's office, but it was definitely stronger now. Whether it had something to do with the fact that others believed in him or he was finally getting some fresh air _and_ sunlight, Connor did not know nor cared.

* * *

Judy watched as Connor left before turning to Nick. "I'm happy for him," she said as she took Nick's paw.

"Really? I couldn't tell," Nick joked. He and Judy then continued their walk, the warm breeze comforting his tired mind.

"You're one to talk," Judy shot back, side-glancing at the fox, "being all chummy with Connor. You know, if I remember correctly, he used to, and I quote, 'rub you the wrong way.'"

"Ah, well, you know, times change and whatnot," Nick shrugged as he suddenly found a storefront very interesting. "Besides, he's trying to turn over a new leaf, and I relate to that. Besides, I meant what I said: he would be _very_ useful in our Forensic department."

" _That's_ for sure," Judy agreed. As silence began to fall, she found that her mind was vigorously racing with hundreds of thoughts that all wanted to be voiced at once. She thought of how she was now able to spend an entire week with Nick outside of work – a very rare occasion. Judy thought of Bunnyburrow, and how a visit couldn't possibly hurt. Besides, Gideon Grey's famous blueberry pie sounded _really_ good right now. The possibilities began to unravel before the bunny as the couple kept walking.

Nick's voice drew Judy from her thoughts. The bunny gave an inquisitive hum as she turned towards her husband.

"I asked you if you wanted to plan out the rest of our week or just wing it," Nick stated, shooting a snarky look at Judy.

A bashful Judy dipped her head, her ears flopping over her head to hide her embarrassed smile. "I'm not sure," she quietly admitted. "There isn't much I feel like doing. Even this walk is making me more tired than usual."

"I feel you, Carrots," Nick stated as he glanced up at the sky; the sun was just down dipping behind the skyscrapers. "Physical exercise can be tough, but anything emotionally taxing is absolutely _brutal_. However, if my mother taught me anything, it was that getting a good, long walk always helps sort out most of the gunk."

"Gunk?" Judy echoed, shooting a look at the fox.

Nick nodded. "Yep! That was what my mom told me, word for word!" The two shared a lighthearted chuckle as they continued to walk along the streets.

Silence fell over the couple again, but Judy's thoughts had taken a darker turn. The thought of Nick's mother had started the bunny on a train of thought that circled to Victor, then to the four criminals the older fox had hired, and then back to two nights ago. Before the horrid memories could come flashing back, Judy turned to Nick.

"What do you think about trying some of your mother's recipes for dinner tonight?" Judy asked a little too quickly.

Nick turned to meet her gaze with an inquisitive light in his eyes. A tick of silence passed before a toothy grin crept over Nick's muzzle. "I'd like that," he answered in a tone of genuine delight. "Though, with how much you dislike my cooking, I'm not sure if it's a good idea."

Upon seeing Nick's smile, Judy felt the tension melt away. All that remained was an infinitesimally small voice in the back of her head that couldn't be heard over Nick. "Right, but you'll have guidance this time, Slick," Judy retorted, her muzzle splitting into a grin of her own. "I'm sure that someone as 'skilled' as you can follow your mother's simple instructions."

"You're right, Carrots," Nick shot back, his grin growing as they walked. "I _am_ skilled at cooking. I'm so glad that you finally see things my way."

Judy laughed as she rolled her eyes and opted to move a little closer to the fox. Nick's joking manner had done wonders for her troubled mind, resulting in a happy air about the bunny. On the other hand, Nick was busy sorting through his own thoughts. His mind tried to dwell on anything but the bandages that covered Judy's injuries, and the prospect of cooking with his bunny had helped. So, it was with a somewhat light heart that Nick brought up a new topic for their conversation.

"So Carrots, do you really think that Mr. Big isn't feeling well?" he inquired.

Judy seemed confused as to why Nick would want to bring up that topic, but she realized that the thought _had_ crossed her mind as well. "I don't know what to think," she answered after a moment. "Whether or not Connor was lying, he _is_ looking for work, so that's something."

"I never accused Connor of lying," Nick defended, stealing a glance at the bunny. "I just wanted to know if you were as worried about it as me. And I don't mean an 'oh, I care for the guy because we're the godparents of his grandchildren' sort of thing. I mean, he has a _lot_ of power in the criminal underworld. If he's sick, and it's as bad as Connor thinks it is, then we're basically screwed."

"While I see your point, I think it's a little early to be jumping off the deep end with assumptions," Judy said, trying to hush the nagging voice in the back of her mind. Nick was right: the city could easily be torn asunder as the other criminal leaders scrambled for power. The bunny's optimistic mind, however, refused to accept the fact that Mr. Big could be on his deathbed. "But now that you got that thought in my mind, I want to go visit and just make sure."

Nick cracked a smile at his wife's grumbling. "Hey, _I_ didn't do anything except say what was on my mind; _you're_ the one who's getting all emotional about it," he joked as he wrapped his arm around her.

Judy tensed as she felt Nick's claws gently graze her side. Her involuntary reaction was unexpected, souring her mood. "Yeah, well, _I'd_ know all about that, being an emotional bunny, huh?" she murmured as he ears drooped behind her head.

"What?" Nick asked, his brows furrowing in confusion. To his dismay, Judy pulled away from him and walked a little faster, placing herself ahead of the fox.

"Let's just get back to the house," her voice was so quiet that Nick had to strain his ears to hear. "We can get train tickets and head to Tundratown after dinner."

"Carrots, what's wrong?" Nick asked as he picked up his pace to catch up with her. "Was it something I did? Judy?"

Judy didn't pick up her pace, nor did she slow down. She simply kept walking, her arms wrapped around her chest.

 _She's scared of you._

Nick immediately shook the thought away as he matched pace with Judy. He contemplated reaching out and holding her close – anything to comfort whatever pain she was feeling. However, Judy's reaction immediately flashed through his mind, and Nick thought against his previous idea.

 _You didn't save her._

The voice was incessant, continuing to mock him from the depths of his mind. Nick wanted to shut it out and focus on Judy, but the voice only got louder. To Nick's horror, it sounded like his father.

 _She doesn't trust you._

Judy began to walk ahead as Nick slowed down. His paws clutched his ears, hoping to block out the terrible voice. Nick violently shook his head to the point of nearly being dizzy before trying to catch up to Judy again.

 _She doesn't love you._

Nick grit his teeth and kept moving. The lies kept pounding at him, tearing at his walls and demanding his focus. Instead, he intently stared at Judy's form, allowing his wife to fill his vision and thoughts. He thought of them cooking together tonight and most likely teasing each other to the point of a food fight. He thought of her warmth pressed against him as they slept. Nick thought of the way Judy would say, "I love you" every time they would kiss.

It didn't work.

 _You're nothing but a sick bastard, Nicholas. You don't deserve that bunny – you deserve a life as a lonely pawpsicle hustler, hated by everyone._

"No!" Nick cried as he fell to his knees, clutching his temples. His head felt like it was about to explode. The voice continued to taunt him, rattling on about his disgusting habits and addictions to bunnies. Nick's breathing grew uneven and short, and his blood pressure dramatically increased.

Judy had turned around by this point, having grown concerned when she heard Nick cry out. Upon seeing Nick virtually claw at his head, Judy wanted to run to him, comfort him. When her eyes caught sight of his claws and teeth, she flinched and stayed put, unable to do anything but watch.

 _Look at her, she won't even come to your aid!_ taunted the voice, and Nick's eyes immediately swiveled towards Judy, and their gazes locked. Nick didn't see what the voice wanted him to see: a small bunny cowering before the crazy, frightening fox. Instead, he saw his mate watching him with fear – not a fear for herself, but for _him_.

Judy gasped when Nick's eyes suddenly met hers. He looked so _scared_ , like his entire world was falling from his grip, and there was nothing he could do about it. Judy knew that she had to go to him, but again, she was stopped as Nick's demeanor changed. The fear in his eyes morphed into determination before Nick turned away and forced his paws to his sides. Judy watched with fascination as Nick began calming himself, evening out his breathing and easing the tremors in his body.

That was when Judy saw them: a group of three mammals walking along in uneven gaits, laughing loudly and howling about random garbage. Over the small distance, Judy could see that each of the mammals carried a bottle of what looked to be some alcoholic beverage. Her assumption seemed to be correct as one of the group – a portly looking sheep – took an enormous swig of his drink and nearly fell backward in the process.

When Nick finally managed to calm himself and stand up, it wasn't Judy that noticed him first; he was noticed by the three drunks. "Hey!" the sheep called out in a slurred voice, leaning on his friends as he pointed the bottle at the fox. "You there! Get away from that bunny!"

"You must be joking," Nick grumbled, rolling his eyes. He quickly turned to Judy and surveyed her from where he stood, though he wasn't sure if she would be alright with him holding her yet. He opened his mouth to apologize when he felt someone grab the collar of his shirt.

"We said to leave her alone!" said another mammal – a scrawny moose – as he threw Nick to the ground behind him. The other two mammals – the sheep and a pig – quickly put themselves between Nick and Judy.

"Hic! – don't worry, Miss!" the pig slurred, glancing over his shoulder. "We'll take care o' this rotten _fox_ for you!"

Nick was tired. He had just gotten over a panic attack, and now he had to deal with three drunk idiots that seemed intent on playing the noble heroes for the damsel in distress. A glance to Judy told him that she didn't like this any more than he did.

The moose suddenly kicked Nick's stomach, rolling the fox over the sidewalk. Nick coughed as he tried to fill his lungs with air before he was kicked again. Police training began to take over as adrenaline rushed through his body. Before another kick could be placed, Nick rolled out of the way.

"Nick!" Judy called, finally gaining control of her own body again. She ran towards Nick, only to be stopped and held back by the pig and sheep.

"What are you doing?" asked the sheep before hiccuping. "He's a _fox_ , Miss."

"He's my _friend_ ," Judy shot back, struggling against the hooves that held her. The two drunk mammals were surprisingly strong.

The sound of hoof meeting flesh caught Judy's attention, and her head snapped towards her fox. Her eyes widened as Nick fell to the ground again, one of the moose's hooves having made contact with his face.

"Let me go!" Judy shouted. Her injuries began to scream from under the bandages, slowly draining the energy she was consuming to thrash against the two idiots.

"Miss, we can't let you near him," said the pig. "He's not your friend – never was. He's just an untrustworthy fox that belongs in a cage!"

"Yeah," the sheep agreed, "he could've eaten you had we not gotten here in time."

Judy couldn't believe what she was hearing. _Do these guys honestly think that Nick would hurt me!?_ she incredulously thought. She began to pull _away_ from her "saviors" to conserve energy and keep her injuries from opening up again. Her plan worked as the pig and sheep mistook this as a sign that she wasn't going to run to the fox. They were very wrong until –

 _You did_.

She paused as the voice cut through her mind like a knife through butter. As if a dam had suddenly been opened, thoughts began to tumble through Judy's mind. First and foremost of these thoughts was the realization that her mind had used Nick's voice.

 _You thought I would hurt you. Why?_

He sounded hurt and betrayed. Flashbacks of the press conference three years ago ran through her mind – more specifically, flashbacks of how she had hurt Nick that day. She felt the same, stinging guilt now as she did then.

A grunt from Nick caught Judy's attention, and she watched as he had managed to tackle the moose to the ground and held his hooves behind his back. Judy could've sworn that she saw Nick reach for a pair of pawcuffs before two things happened: he realized that he hadn't brought a pair with him, and the sheep tackled him to the ground.

 _Even now, you won't come to help me. Why, Judy?_

Judy opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, trying to come up with an answer that refused to form in her mind. She helplessly watched as Nick tried to fight back the two drunk mammals, but he was quickly backed into a corner. Punch after punch was landed on either side, but it was safe to say that Nick was losing.

 _Why won't you help me, Judy?_ the voice asked again with a rising tone. _Why!?_

The answer hit Judy like a ton of bricks, but as she opened her mouth, another voice caught everyone's attention. All five mammals turned to see a long, sleek limousine parked next to the sidewalk and a massive polar bear calmly standing before them. "Is there problem here?" he asked in a deep, thick accent.

"What the hell do you want, _predator?_ " the sheep spat, nearly losing his balance as he did so.

A tiny, familiar voice sounded from the open window of the long vehicle. "He just wants to make sure that my close friends are alright. Why don't you and yours run along before you make any _more_ stupid decisions."

"What are you saying?" the moose fumed, turning away from Nick. "We're not gonna take crap from _you_ or anyone else, you hear?"

Judy's mind suddenly seemed to work again, and she reached into her back pocket. "Will you take crap from the ZPD?" she called, holding up her badge. The three drunken mammals went white as a sheet. "I'm Officer Judy Hopps, so I'm afraid that makes that fox you were just assaulting Officer Nick Wilde. And the punishment for assaulting an officer is severe, _especially_ since I'm not in a good mood. I'm placing you three under arrest –"

She was interrupted by the sound of hooves on the sidewalk as the three mammals fled in drunken desperation. The bunny had half a mind to chase them down before a groan from Nick caught her attention. The three idiots were all but forgotten as she ran to her fox and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Nick!" Judy cried into the fur under his chin, tightening her grip on her husband. "I was so worried!"

"I'm alright, Carrots," Nick croaked. "But you _are_ choking me. Could you let up a bit?"

"Oh! Sorry!" Judy stammered as she awkwardly scrambled off of the fox. After taking a quick moment to gather herself, Judy helped Nick stand up, giving her the opportunity to study his injuries. One eye was swollen, his lip was bleeding freely, and he was bound to have bruises all over his body. The goods news was that he wasn't fatally injured as told by his ability to walk without her help.

Judy then turned back to the limousine. It didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce who was in the limousine as she recognized Jim, the massive polar bear that served as Mr. Big's bodyguard, right-hand man, and close friend.

"Are you two alright?" the bear asked, stooping down to get a better look at the two smaller mammals.

Nick groaned. "I'll live. I just wanna go home now."

"We can arrange for that," Mr. Big said from inside the limo. "Please, come in."

The two cops didn't need to be told twice as Jim opened the door for them. The sky had begun to turn a dark indigo as Nick and Judy got comfortable in the luxury car. Jim closed the door behind them, and the limousine began to drive away.

Judy squeezed herself closer to Nick, making sure to ignore the chills of fear that she felt when he would gently rake his claws along her side; instead, she let the action calm her as her tired mind began to slowly wander. She stared out the window, mesmerized as the streets of Zootopia whizzed by in a blur.

 **This chapter was a biscuit and a half to write. Seriously, the Writer's Block was** _ **real**_ **, but I was able to get over it thanks to a one-shot collection that I started. Some of you may be familiar with it: A Fluffy Fic a Day Keeps the Boredom Away! I won't be updating it regularly,** _ **but**_ **I won't ignore it either. Plus, I'll make sure to have as much fun with it as possible.**

 **Anyway, did anyone recognize Connor from The Strongest Bonds? If not, then it's my fault; I only had him in one chapter and never mentioned him again. Thanks to Blindstrike, he was revived from the ashes for this story and given some development! And don't worry, this won't be the only chapter with that kleptomaniacal raccoon – and yes, I now coin that term if it isn't already real. Boom.**


	12. A Turn for the Worse

**No warning this time. Yay!...?**

Silence fell over the group of mammals as the limousine drove through the night. Dazzling storefronts passed by in blurred streaks of color that temporarily illuminated the inside of the vehicle. With the exhausted state of her mind, Judy found herself succumbing to sleep as shadows hypnotically danced along the windows. Paired with Nick's warm presence, Judy felt safe and content as if there were no worries left in the world.

Unfortunately, reality had a funny way of popping one's personal bubble of peace. For Judy, it was the fact that her tired mind refused to settle down. Thousands of thoughts whizzed through her head, every one of them demanding her attention all at once. The most prominent was that of Mr. Big's physical appearance.

Judy had believed Connor when he said that Mr. Big wasn't looking well, but now she knew exactly how well: the shrew looked old and frail, and his fur was lackluster, to say the least. Now that Judy had gotten a good look at Mr. Big, Nick's previous prediction seemed all the more imminent.

"My child, it's not polite to stare," said Mr. Big, breaking the silence.

Judy blinked before averting her gaze, her ears lowering in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she muttered, her voice barely carrying over to Mr. Big. "It's just that – well, Connor said that you might not be feeling well, but I didn't expect you to look so –"

"Old?" Mr. Big interrupted. "It's alright, Judith. I've looked worse, believe me. And like every other time, I'll get through it. Besides, it's not me you should be worrying about: your husband looks worse than I do, and that's saying something."

Despite the constant aching in his body, Nick cracked a weak smile. "You and I both know that I'm the good-looking one in this relationship," he joked. "Besides, I'm fine. It'll take more than a few drunk mammals to keep me down," he boasted.

"Yeah, but they can definitely get a few hits in," Judy piped up, drawing a chuckle from the other mammals in the car. "You look like you just finished sparring with Bogo and won."

There was something about the fact that Judy was cracking jokes again that set Nick's mind at ease. If anything, it told him that she wasn't on edge anymore, willingly accepting his little, loving gestures. "I'll take that as a compliment," Nick stated, his grin widening.

Judy rolled her eyes before squeezing herself into Nick's warmth. After she was comfortable and Nick had wrapped his arm around her, she caught sight of the sad smile on Mr. Big's face that was sent their direction.

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Big?" Judy asked as her thoughts came whizzing back. This time, all she could think about was how the shrew was doing physically and emotionally.

"Nothing, my child," Mr. Big lied as he glanced over his shoulder at the driver. Turning back, he let out a tiny sigh. "Well, nothing wrong with _me._ I'm more concerned with _your_ states of being. Thanks to the media, anyone with half a mind knows that you two are going through some hard times – times that would normally tear two mammals apart. I've had enough of those experiences in my lifetime to know that this –" he vaguely gestured towards Nick and Judy with his paws, "– is something that a mammal should never have to go through. However, as the old saying goes, what doesn't kill you can make you stronger, but only if you make the choice to let it do so."

Mr. Big's words hung in the air as the group fell silent. As the limousine drove along, fewer storefronts passed by; instead, apartment buildings of all shapes and sizes began to tower over the streets.

"Anyway, enough about this touchy subject," the crime boss suddenly declared, gently startling the fox and bunny. "We've got better things to discuss. For example, how are you two doing with your week off?"

Nick scoffed. Of course Mr. Big would know about their week off despite the fact that the media hadn't been given that bit of information. "It's going great," he answered with a half-lie. "I know that _I_ am enjoying spending a whole week with my wife outside of work, but I can't speak for her."

"I'm fine," Judy automatically replied. "Tired, too. The past few days have just been rough, but I'm sure after a few good nights' rest, everything will be back to normal." She smiled when Nick gave her an affectionate squeeze.

"I hope it will, Judith," Mr. Big muttered. "However, before I leave you for the night, I want to pass on some advice that I think you two may find useful to hear."

The two cops' ears perked towards the crime boss – the only sign in their relaxed postures that they were listening. "Lay it on us, Mr. B," Nick said, his suave mask in place as he leaned back.

After a beat of thoughtful silence, Mr. Big began, "You two have something incredibly unique and special between you; it's not every day you see a fox and bunny in love. This means that you two are pioneers in a sense. Everything that happens from here, and everything that _has_ happened was and will be entirely new and unheard of. You probably already know this, but there will be some areas of your relationship that you won't be able to get advice on because there's literally no one else. You mustn't allow that to keep you from working together to get through such hardships. It may not be easy, but that means that it's worth it.

"You two are setting the stage for a new generation. How you decide to live your lives together shall become a precedent for similar relationships in the future. To some, this responsibility would be too great to handle, but I know you two. You don't back down from a fight, and you tackle any problem head-on; it won't be hard for you to find the motivation to push past this situation.

"I say this because rough times are ahead. Victor's gaining power, those four goons are still at large and under his control, and the people of this city are starting to doubt again. You two will need each other now more than ever, and if you don't hold on tight to what you have, it could be lost forever. Trust me, I made that mistake a long time ago, and it still affects me to this day."

"If you don't mind me asking," Judy spoke up as Mr. Big finished. "But what was that mistake?"

Silence fell over the car. Mr. Big seemed deep in thought, but Judy couldn't help but feel guilty for bringing up something that was possibly uncomfortable for the crime boss.

Finally, Mr. Big spoke up again. "My wife and I had a fight one night, and it fractured our relationship. It could have been repaired, but I was selfish and arrogant at the time. During my time as leader of the crime ring in my family, I could never bring myself to confront my wife and fix what we had. So, when a rival family killed her in an attempt to get to me, I realized how wrong I had been. Since then, I've been regretting every decision I made after that fight."

The shrew paused before turning towards Nick and Judy. "Don't make the same mistake I did. If you have a problem, talk it out. If one of you is hurt, heal together. The best that you two have is each other, and that's the best you will _ever_ have."

As Mr. Big went silent, the limousine came to a stop. Judy glanced out the window and smiled longingly at the welcoming facade of the apartment complex that she and Nick called home.

"This is where I leave you," the crime boss declared, drawing Judy's gaze from the window. "I don't need to tell you this, but Nick, take it easy."

Nick nodded. "You got it, Mr. B," he replied as the driver, a fox about as tall as Nick, opened the door.

Judy leaned forward so that she could gently kiss both of Mr. Big's cheeks. "Thank you for the advice. I'm sure we'll put it to good use."

"I would hope so," Mr. Big replied with a warm smile. "Now, you two have a good night."

Judy nodded before hopping out of the car next to Nick. The driver closed the door behind them and sauntered towards the driver's seat, winking at the couple. Nick and Judy watched as the limo drove off and melted into the night.

"Come on, Carrots," Nick said, breaking the silence as he gestured towards the complex behind them with his head. "Let's go inside. I'm sure Stacy will be happy to see us." Judy nodded as she followed the fox into the apartment complex.

Stacy looked up from her newspaper upon hearing the front doors open. She noticed Judy first, bringing a smile to her face as she opened her mouth to greet her favorite couple. When she caught sight of Nick, however, the smile was replaced with a concerned frown.

"Hey guys," she called, drawing the couple's attention. "What happened?"

Nick shrugged. "Oh, you know me, always trying to impress the missus. I got a little too cocky today and had a tussle with a rather mean lamppost. I still won, though," Nick joked before Judy could answer.

"I thought you guys were supposed to be taking it _easy?_ " Stacy contended, crossing her arms and shooting a hard glare at the fox.

This time, Judy managed to speak up before Nick could weave anymore of his ridiculous tall tale. "We know," she admitted as her mind quickly came up with a more believable lie, "but we couldn't help it. We saw a poor mammal getting mugged, so Nick jumped straight in and took on the attacker. I came in late, hence his surplus and my lack of 'battle scars.'"

Stacy's frown morphed into a sad, pitying smile. "A couple of saints, you are," she muttered, shaking her head. "Just don't do anything like that again for a while. You need your rest after what happened. Now shoo! Get upstairs. Do something relaxing," she added, quirking her eyebrow before turning to her newspaper.

Judy couldn't help but crack a smile as she and Nick made their way to the elevator. "You two have a good night!" Stacy called as the doors slid shut.

Silence followed as the spacious elevator car steadily climbed. Judy watched Nick, trying to decipher what was going on in his head. Being rather beat up made it hard, however, as she couldn't tell if the faint scowl Nick had was from the pain or a particular thought. The more she thought about it, the more the silence seemed to grow.

"Nick, are you alright?" Judy asked, shattering the silence. Nick blinked and then turned towards her. She had apparently interrupted a deep thought.

"You say something, Carrots?" Nick inquired apologetically.

The elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened with a 'ding!' before Judy answered, "I was asking if you were alright."

"Yeah, I'm alright," Nick replied as they stepped out into the hallway. "Could be better, but still."

Judy chuckled weakly. "Yeah," she mumbled as her ears folded against her head.

This didn't go unnoticed by Nick, who immediately grew concerned. "Are _you_ alright, Carrots?" he asked as they made their way to their apartment.

The bunny shrugged halfheartedly. "I don't know," she admitted. "I just want to eat, watch a movie, and cuddle with a certain fox."

Nick carefully wrapped an arm around Judy and pulled her close, placing a kiss on her forehead. "That can be arranged," he said with a smile on his face, and he led Judy into the apartment and closed the door behind them.

* * *

The Tundratown wind was as cold as ever, and the falling snow gave the black night a white-blue hue. Light could barely travel through the thick fog that hung over the road, making it nearly impossible to see. The limousine sped by, looking like a black streak cutting through a sea of white.

Mr. Big's mind continuously repeated his conversation with Nick and Judy, pointing out things that he wanted to say but didn't. Parts of the conversation began to direct themselves at the shrew, their meanings becoming advice that he should have lived by when he was younger. These thoughts left him regretfully grumbling as the limo made its way back to his manor.

Jim Bratva looked down at his old friend, concern in his steely eyes. The perpetual frown that resided on his muzzle was now a bit more genuine as the polar bear tried to read the shrew. Unfortunately, Mr. Big was by no means an open book when it came to inner emotions.

"I can feel you judging me, Jim," Mr. Big squeaked, drawing the polar bear's attention. "It's not comfortable."

The ghost of a smile passed over Jim's lips. "Sorry, my friend. I was just wondering how you are doing. You seem to be deep in thought, no?" he asked in his deep, thickly accented voice.

The shrew in his paw sighed heavily. "I am, yes," he admitted. "Times are changing for the worse, and there's not enough to be done or thought about to get prepared for it. What's about to happen will forever scar Zootopia."

"Why so dramatic?" Jim inquired, quirking an eyebrow. "It can't _truly_ be that bad?"

"I could be overreacting, yes," Mr. Big admitted with a faint chuckle, "but what Victor is doing will affect many mammals. That much is certain."

The gentle purr of the limousine's engine and the faint howling of the wind were the only sounds that could be heard as the two mammals grew quiet. The silence didn't last long, though, as Jim spoke up again, "What about Victor?"

Mr. Big glanced up at his friend. "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"What about him?" Jim repeated. "You've been working with him a lot in past few days. What are your thoughts of him?"

"Do you want the good or the bad ones?" Mr. Big asked dryly. The silence from Jim was the answer. "Honestly, he's too ambitious for his own good, and he thinks he knows everything that's going on at a specific point in time. He thinks he can read people, which only ends up with him putting his money on the wrong horse, so to speak. Look at what happened to the Wildes; Victor had trusted those four enough to accidentally give them the opportunity to do this.

"However, that doesn't mean that he's void of good qualities. He acts like any good businessman should: always considerate of the competition, understanding of the importance of personal contact, and can pick himself up after taking a hit. He also understands that what he's trying to achieve will come at a cost that not many are willing to pay."

Jim nodded. "That is good thing, yes?" he inquired.

"If you know the cost, you can work towards using only the necessary resources instead of squandering everything you have," Mr. Big replied. "So yes, my friend, it is a good thing."

A massive SUV passed the limousine, catching Mr. Big's attention for only second before he ignored it.

"Aww, it's so sweet to know that you care," came a familiar voice. Mr. Big and Jim looked up at the window that connected the front of the limo to the back and found Victor casually leaning through it. The fox was dressed as one of Mr. Big's drivers and wore a sly grin on his muzzle.

"I was wondering when you would finally come and join us," Mr. Big stated before gesturing to the seat directly across from all three of them. "Why don't you sit down, or do you need to drive?"

Victor slipped through the opening and sat across from the crime lord and his bear. "I've got our transportation covered," he said as he leaned back in the seat. He was right; the limousine seemed to be driving itself as the three mammals sat in silence for a few seconds.

"I want to thank you for what you said to my son," the fox said after a few seconds. "That advice will be very helpful for him during the next few days."

"I didn't say it to help you," Mr. Big snapped. "Even if you didn't have anything planned, they _both_ needed that advice."

Victor held up his paws in a defensive gesture. "Okay, I'm sorry. No need to get pushy," he apologized. "Besides, I hope you haven't forgotten why I'm here in the first place?"

Mr. Big said nothing, leaving the car in silence for a moment. The two crime leaders locked gazes: Mr. Big glared at Victor while the fox stared back with a casual smile. Finally, Mr. Big looked away as a coughing fit overtook him.

"I thought so," Victor said, suddenly becoming very serious as he leaned forward. "Have you seen a doctor about that?"

The shrew laughed – a gross, hacking sound that made Victor wince. "If I had a dollar for each time someone asked me that, I'd be the richest mammal in all of Zootopia," Mr. Big sarcastically joked. "But in all seriousness, I _will_ be seeing a doctor soon."

Victor nodded in approval as he leaned back in his seat. "Now, I didn't come here to check up on your personal health," he admitted as he clasped his paws together and shifted his weight a bit. "We have more important matters to discuss."

"That we do," Mr. Big agreed. "Though I must ask: how did you know where to find Officers Wilde and Hopps? We couldn't have happened on them by coincidence."

"Ever since the warehouse incident, I knew that my son and his wife would be taking it hard. So, to make sure that they didn't do anything stupid or get into another 'situation,' I put them under surveillance," Victor answered. "But you already knew that – you're stalling."

"What makes you think that?" Mr. Big innocently asked, shrugging. "I want nothing more than to talk about my early retirement from the criminal business."

Victor sneered at the crime boss. "I thought you were serious when you called me earlier today," he stated with dry sarcasm, folding his arms over his chest.

"This hasn't exactly been an easy decision, Victor!" Mr. Big snapped. "Do you realize how much would be at stake should I suddenly be removed from power? Do you realize the danger that my family would have to face? What of my daughter, hmm? How would she take this decision!?"

"I promise that your daughter will be kept safe –" Victor began, but he was interrupted by Mr. Big.

"– That's not what I was asking," the shrew snapped before his body convulsed with another coughing fit. After clearing his throat several times, he turned his gaze back to the fox. "I have no doubt in your abilities, but it isn't _just_ my Fru Fru that I'm worried about. What of Nick and Judy? What of the city? I've kept so much held at bay – what you're about to do could be the last straw on the camel's back."

Silence fell over the car. Mr. Big sat patiently, waiting to hear Victor's response. He studied the fox as the seconds ticked by. While Victor was leaned back and relaxed, his expression was anything but – cold, calculating, emerald eyes simmered above a faint scowl.

"I am aware of the repercussions, Alphonse," Victor snapped. Mr. Big didn't so much as bat an eye at the use of his first name, "and I'm fully prepared to face them."

"Are you?" the shrew challenged, leaning forward in his minuscule chair. "If you're found out, I'm not sure your son will be as willing to follow your plan, Victor."

"What do you know about my son?" the fox barked, suddenly lunging forward as if to strangle the small crime boss. Jim tensed – the only noticeable movement made since the conversation had begun.

"What do _you_ know about your son!?" Mr. Big shot back, holding his ground. Victor's fiery gaze faltered. "You left when he was just a baby and never came back! He's never known his father, and you've never known your son! Unlike _you_ , I know what it takes to be a parent, and frankly, you don't qualify. So I recommend restraint when talking about what your son will and won't do."

Silence once again fell over the car as Victor and Mr. Big glared at each other. The tension in the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife. Slowly, Victor leaned back as his ears folded against his head – he was shaking with rage, but Mr. Big had made a valid point. Not for the first time, Victor imagined how his life could have been different had those city officials put him out of business.

"I did what I had to do," Victor muttered, still sending Mr. Big a hard glare.

"Right, the 'necessary sacrifice,'" Mr. Big's fingers made air quotes as he said this. "I've made those too. However, such a sacrifice does not suddenly give you any right or authority on that subject; you may have sacrificed your son for your work, but you don't get any say in how he was raised."

Victor went silent again, and the anger in his eyes dimmed somewhat. He still glared at the shrew, though, as his mind processed the argument so far. Mr. Big was right: Victor didn't _really_ know his son. Hell, even his brief meeting with Nick about a week ago felt so alien – he felt as if he were meeting a complete stranger. From that thought grew an icy ball of guilt and regret in Victor's stomach, which only fed his determination. His plan _was_ going to work, and he _was_ going to finally be reunited with his son.

Mr. Big let the silence draw out and sink in. Call it a unique skill, but Mr. Big had always had a way with words – or lack thereof – giving him the advantage in many situations such as this. However, the crime lord wasn't trying to only gain the upper hand here. No, he needed to get Victor to listen to reason before he made this decision.

A sigh escaped Mr. Big's lips. "Even with the risk of the damage that would be done, you're _still_ willing to go through with your plan?" the shrew asked; however, the steely gleam in Victor's eyes told him that the decision was already made, and Victor wasn't going to change his mind.

The fox nodded curtly. "Yes," was the brief reply.

Mr. Big turned towards the window, his gaze searching out past the snowy fields and the freezing blizzard. "You promise that my daughter will be kept safe?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

Victor nodded. "I'll personally make sure of it if necessary," he replied, his tone completely lacking the sarcastic nature that it had when this conversation began. Instead, he spoke with complete professional courtesy.

Mr. Big gave an approving nod. "And Nick and Judy – what will become of them?"

"Well, if everything goes as according to plan, then they'll be perfectly fine," Victor stated as he scratched his neck.

"And if everything _doesn't_ go according to plan?" Mr. Big inquired, quirking an eyebrow as he turned his gaze back to the fox.

"It will," Victor answered coldly.

Mr. Big scoffed. "If I didn't know any better, Victor, I'd say that you were a bit cocky," he gently accused. "Trust me when I say, any plan made by any mammal is _destined_ to fail in one way or another. You may have every single detail plotted out; you may have every single countermeasure prepared. However, the moment your ideas are set into motion is the moment that your carefully laid out plan will fall apart. It may become something new that still gets you to where you want to go, or it may utterly fail." Mr. Big paused, allowing the advice to sink in. He watched as Victor continued to glare at him, but the look in those emerald eyes said it all: his point had gotten through.

"They could be fine if my plan doesn't work, or they could be severely hurt," Victor quietly admitted, averting his gaze from the shrew.

"Is that a risk that you're still willing to take?" Mr. Big inquired.

"Yes," Victor muttered. Mr. Big barely caught the sound.

When those emerald eyes again locked with his, Mr. Big saw a steely determination simmering beneath the surface. It was a look that he had seen in a pair of amethyst eyes about three years back, and it had sent a faint chill down his spine. Coming from the fox, Mr. Big realized why Victor had been able to take control of Al Capaw's gang.

"If there is _one_ thing that I know about my son, Alphonse, it's that he knows how to pick himself up after being kicked to the ground," Victor continued, leaning forward in his seat. "Now that he's mated, I doubt that there will be anything that can put him down for long."

Mr. Big remained silent for a tick of the figurative clock before nodding. " _That_ is something we agree on."

Victor gave the shrew a weak smile before checking the watch on his wrist. "Would you look at the time," he noted in a halfheartedly sarcastic tone. Turning back to Mr. Big, Victor said, "So, are we in agreement?"

"About what?" Mr. Big asked as he distractedly brushed off his tuxedo.

"About who's going to replace you during your break from power!" Victor cried, his eyes glowing with exasperation. "Like you just said, you just so happen to be one of the most powerful crime bosses in all of Zootopia. Suddenly stepping down from your seat of power isn't really a fantastic idea considering the fact that you could create a destructive power vacuum that would tear apart the city!" He looked hopeful that his rather drastic explanation would make his point for him.

"I already thought of that, Victor," Mr. Big began. "My son-in-law –"

"– is not prepared for the responsibility," Victor interrupted. "He's barely handling being a father. You need someone who's experienced as a crime boss and will be willing to step down should you choose to return."

"Someone like you?" Mr. Big asked with a cold, emotionless tone.

Victor paused for a second, his ears flattening against his head as his gaze faltered. "Yes," he answered. The word hung in the air as silence fell over the car.

Mr. Big could feel Jim tense at the request, indignant that the fox would even ask such a thing. He could also see the anxiety in Victor's emerald eyes. There was something about how self-aware Victor was that resonated with Mr. Big: the fox knew that he was crossing some sensitive boundaries with his request, yet he refused to push his luck any further than it needed to be.

 _Maybe he isn't as arrogant as I thought,_ Mr. Big presumed.

"Fine," he answered, breaking the silence. Jim and Victor flinched before a single, similar thought ran through their minds: _Really!?_

"Don't worry, Jim. It's fine," Mr. Big said as he turned towards his old friend. Glancing back at Victor, he continued, "Are you sure _you're_ prepared for the responsibility, though? I have a lot of contacts, agreements, and business deals that need handling."

Victor nodded. "I understand that, and I've been thoroughly studying and investigating everything – I'm familiar enough with your deals and such that the transition should be seamless."

Mr. Big nodded, impressed with Victor's dedication and somewhat unnerved that most of his private business dealing had been uncovered. Jim remained on the unnerved side as he was still suspicious of the fox.

The watch on Victor's wrist suddenly beeped, the shrill sound piercing the air-conditioned atmosphere of the car. "That's my cue," Victor said and proceeded to roll down a window. The freezing, Tundratown wind immediately began to circulate inside the vehicle as bits of snow melted onto the seats and floor. "Should I expect your 'partners' at my headquarters, or should I conduct your business in your house?" he inquired over his shoulder.

"If you don't have anyone who can run your business while you're gone, you can host them there. If you do, then I'd prefer the deals be done in my office – the ice pool is a rather convenient persuasion device, as you already know."

Victor smirked and nodded before climbing out the window of the moving limousine. It didn't surprise Mr. Big to see a second SUV driving alongside the window before pulling ahead. He continued to gaze out the window that Jim soon closed. It took a few moments, but soon the chilled temperature from outside dissipated as the car warmed up.

* * *

Victor scrabbled through the open window and toppled onto the back seat with the grace of a toddler learning to walk. He heard the nearly imperceptible snicker from Richard, who was currently driving through the blizzard.

"Quiet, you," Victor jokingly snapped as he dusted some snow off of his driver's suit. Satisfied with his appearance, the fox climbed into the passenger seat.

"I didn't say anything, Victor," Richard defended innocently, glancing at his friend. "I take it the conversation went well?"

A smile spread across Victor's features. "Very well. I now control everything that Mr. Big does."

"Until he chooses to leave retirement, that is," Richard added.

Victor gave a dismissive wave of his paw. "Ah, I'll worry about that later. Let me enjoy this victory for now."

Richard nodded as his foot pressed on the gas, sending the SUV forward. Victor glanced past Richard to see the state of the first SUV. Though it was impossible to see past the snow and tinted windows, the fox could imagine the four idiots he hired driving along, careful to not mess up again. Victor glanced towards the back of the bulky vehicle. A metal hook – attached to the SUV's trailer hitch – was lodged into the grill of the limousine, pulling the longer vehicle along.

"Did I make the right choice?" Victor asked suddenly, breaking the silence that had fallen.

Richard quirked an eyebrow in confusion as he drove the SUV further ahead, leaving the limo behind. "Pardon?"

"Having those four drive tonight – was that the right choice?" Victor asked again, somewhat annoyed he had to repeat himself.

"While I would've trusted just about anyone _else_ , I don't see any problem with having them on this task," Richard answered, his voice drawing out and stressing different syllables – it was as if the wolf's voice was made of molasses and gave him a cold and calculated air. "They also know not to cross your path again. They'll carry out their duties as instructed."

"I hope so," Victor mumbled before leaning back in his chair and pulling the cap over his eyes, intent on dozing off.

* * *

"Do you really trust that fox, Alphonse?" Jim asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the car.

"Somewhat, yes," Mr. Big answered, his gaze still directed out the window. Snow-topped trees whizzed by in a blur. "However, I don't plan on him keeping his word should I choose to come out of retirement. My health was simply a coincidence he was willing to take advantage of."

"Then why did you let him take your place?" Jim inquired, sounding incredulous.

"Because he made a good point: I need someone to take over while I'm gone. However, it's very possible that this will blow up in his face," Mr. Big commented with a sort of satisfaction. "Now he not only has to deal with _his_ business, but with _mine_ as well. I'm sure he'll find soon enough that it won't be as easy as he hoped."

A smile crept over Jim's muzzle as realization dawned on him. "I see. So, figuratively, you handed over lit bomb to Victor."

Mr. Big nodded. "And we get to wait for the boom."

Suddenly, a harsh, metallic snap sounded in the car, startling both mammals. Not a second after the sound vanished, the limousine began to drift towards the left. Before Jim or Mr. Big could question why this was happening, the squealing of tires on asphalt met their ears. Unfortunately, the snow-covered road provided a small amount of tension – the car that desperately tried to swerve to safety rammed head-on with the limousine.

The long vehicle was flipped onto its side as it slid off the road and onto a steep decline. Harsh crunching sounds echoed through the night as the sleek, black car toppled down the hill, ramming into trees as it went.

The limousine rolled to a stop at the bottom of the hill. Its metal body was no more than a crumpled, lifeless husk as smoke gently poured from the machine.

 **There we go! The end of Act 1 of Family Ties! Two more Acts to go before this story is finished, so buckle up; we're just getting started! I must warn you all, though: things will take a very serious and somewhat dark turn. Basically, don't expect a lot of fluff, but be prepared for a lot of emotional turmoil and super dark, secret plans.**

 **I also wanna take a moment to thank my beta readers, without whom this story wouldn't be nearly as great (or on time).**


	13. Coping

**Warning for minor stuff near the end of the chapter.**

Judy never liked funerals. They were cold, bleak ceremonies where family members gathered to mourn the loss of a beloved one. She had attended too many funerals in her time growing up in Bunnyburrow. The fact that the body was cremated due to the lack of room in the cemetery hadn't helped Judy's opinion.

However, the bunny cop now found herself clad in a simple, black dress as she stood next to her husband, attending yet another funeral. This one felt different from all the others, however. The death of Alphonse Silvano Big seemed to affect the entire city of Zootopia. The sun hid behind a sheet of gray clouds, and the air was always humid and muggy with the promise of rain. However, the city wasn't thrown into a gloom because Mr. Big was some cheerful light that, in being snuffed out, suddenly made the world a whole lot dimmer. No, Mr. Big's death was a grim sign of what was in store for Zootopia.

The kind words spoken from close friends or family of the Bigs were lost on Judy as she blankly stared at the hole in the earth for Mr. Big. The darkness seemed hungry, begging for an unfortunate soul to fill its belly. Because of Judy's inexperience with burials, she was still slightly unnerved by the fact that once the dirt was filled in, there would be a rotting corpse beneath the soil. The thought sent a shiver down her spine that was noticed by Nick, who gently wrapped an arm around her. Judy was startled at first, having been suddenly jerked from her thoughts, but she wasted no time in melting into her husband's embrace.

She stole a glance at Nick, whose eyes were solemnly staring at the tiny coffin that held Mr. Big's body. Even though she prided herself on being able to read what was going on in her husband's head, Judy couldn't figure out anything that went on behind Nick's eyes. Those that didn't know Nick would have thought him his emotional detachment to be sincere as his mask was on and as strong as ever, expertly hiding his inner emotions.

When Nick glanced down at her, though, his mask completely slipped away, revealing something that Judy didn't expect: a sad gleam in his eyes and a look that said, "It's okay, Carrots. Everything is going to be alright," yet didn't completely believe it. However, it did the job of calming Judy's nerves, allowing her to comfortably focus on the speech that Fru Fru's husband was giving.

"I had the pleasure of coming to know Alphonse as a father figure, and the love that he showed to my darling wife and me could fool anyone about his actually being the ruthless leader of the Big Syndicate." A light chuckle rippled through the small crowd that mostly consisted of polar bears.

Judy stole a glance to Fru Fru, who was busy wiping tears away with a paw-kerchief. It was because of the female shrew that Nick and Judy were there in the first place; in other circumstances, their job and public images would have forbidden their attendance. For a moment, Judy pondered walking over to console the shrew, but a careful glance from Nick told her to wait. She would have a chance to help her friend.

"Alphonse's life may have ended today, but the Big legacy will certainly live on. As we move forward, we will never forget the memory of this great shrew and his close friend." When the speech ended, the young shrew, with the help of a polar bear, returned to Fru Fru's side. The couple embraced, and Judy could hear tiny sobs thanks to her sensitive ears.

Very little was said afterward, and soon the funeral was finished. Nick and Judy remained firmly planted on the spot, both unwilling to move as the other attendees slowly dispersed. Judy noticed Connor Lyon from among the crowd as the raccoon made his way over to them. His solemn expression was complemented by his grungy tuxedo – obviously from his "collection."

Connor joined the two cops in staring at the empty grave, and the silence that fell over them felt unbreakable. A crisp breeze tickled the edges of Judy's dress, but even that went unnoticed by the trio.

"Well, at least I wasn't entirely right," Connor mumbled in a halfhearted, joking manner. After receiving a cold glance from Nick, he bowed his head. "Sorry. Just trying to ease the tension, you know." Nick shot the raccoon another glance, but this one was empathetic instead of cold. He nodded, wishing to remain silent a little longer.

The raccoon sighed and turned away from the grave. Judy followed suit after a moment as Connor spoke up again, "Call me crazy, but I think that Mr. Big knew this was gonna happen. I mean, why else would he ask me to find a legitimate job right before he died?"

"Speaking of, did you find one?" Judy asked, glad for the opportunity to escape from the reality around them.

Connor hesitantly rubbed the back of his neck. "I've sent in a few applications, the ZPD included. It's just a waiting game, now," he answered with a shrug.

Nick nodded. "I wish you luck, then."

"Thanks," Connor replied with a weak smile. "I don't know about you, but I think I've had enough of this funeral. I'll see you around." With a wave goodbye, the raccoon left the two cops behind.

A sniffle caught Nick and Judy's attention, and upon turning around, the couple saw Fru Fru and her husband standing at Mr. Big's casket. Judy couldn't take anymore and walked over to her friend. Fru Fru turned to acknowledge the bunny with a sad smile that didn't last long before turning back to the elaborate box. At close proximity, Judy could see Mr. Big's injuries. The embalmer had done the best he could do to hide the wounds, a broken muzzle and a few cuts could be seen. The tidy suit that Mr. Big now wore undoubtedly concealed other injuries, and Judy was almost grateful for it.

Nick took his time in making his way to the group but wasted no time in placing a gentle paw on Judy's shoulder. The bunny brushed her cheek against his paw, and a sudden exhaustion overtook her.

"Come on, sweetie," said Fru Fru's husband as he placed a gentle paw on his wife's cheek. "It's time for the burial."

"I don't want to watch," Fru Fru croaked in reply, her gaze now downcast. "This funeral has already been too much."

Her husband gave her an empathetic smile. "I understand. I'll have one of the bears take you home."

Fru Fru nodded her thanks and turned to Nick and Judy as her husband left to make the arrangements. "Thanks for coming, you two. It means a lot to me."

Judy smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Of course. We owe a lot to you and your father," she replied.

Fru Fru smiled. "Now, just because Daddy's dead, you two don't get to stop visiting. I expect to see you two around even more now, okay? Unlike Daddy, I don't you to visit only when you need help; we're _friends_ after all!"

A chuckle escaped Judy's muzzle, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a genuine smile – the first since receiving the almost last-minute invitation to the mournful ceremony. "Deal. Maybe we can set up a lunch sometime soon; Nick and I have the next couple of days off."

"That sounds like a plan," Fru Fru declared, her eyes twinkling again. "We can figure out the rest of the details later. The hubby is coming back. You two take care, okay?" She turned and began walking to meet her husband before suddenly stopping – she seemed to have remembered something.

"Oh, and Nick?" she asked, turning around. Nick hummed in response. "If I were you, I'd treat Judy to something special tonight; you _both_ deserve it."

Nick's trademark smirk – a mere mask at this point – crept over his muzzle. "Don't need to tell me twice," he joked, but his eyes conveyed his sincere thanks to the female shrew. With a smile, Fru Fru turned and left the cops in silence.

The couple remained next to the casket for only a few moments before they finally decided it was time for them to start heading home. Paw in paw, the two descending down the gentle hill as the breeze washed over them. If not for the funeral, Nick and Judy would have enjoyed the walk and the weather a bit more. When they finally reached the parking lot, Nick pulled out his phone to call for a Zuber, their own car having been totaled a few days ago.

"Could it be?" a lightly accented voice to the left caught Nick and Judy's attention. "Are you two _really_ the famous Officers Wilde and Hopps?"

Upon turning to greet the voice, the two cops were greeted with an interesting sight. A rabbit was walking towards them, his topaz eyes sparkling with the hope of meeting the two "celebrities." His fur was startlingly white and contrasted by pitch-black, triangular stripes on his cheeks and the tips of his ears. The gray tuxedo he wore looked like it had been through many uses, yet well-kept enough to have been brand-spanking-new.

The friendly air that this hare emanated was pleasant and relaxing – both Nick and Judy found themselves somewhat at ease as he came closer. Upon getting closer, his eyes widened with happy surprise. "My word, it is! Brilliant!" he exclaimed and quickly stuck out his paw for a handshake. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you two in person."

Nick shook the hare's paw, but when it was Judy's turn, the rabbit turned to Nick with a quizzical expression on his face. "May I?" he asked, gesturing towards the paw that he still held. Both cops were rather confused as to what he was asking, so Nick hesitantly nodded, immediately putting his guard up.

The hare bowed as he pulled Judy's paw up to his muzzle, placing a gentle and polite kiss atop the silver fur there. He then released Judy and straightened, a twinkle in his eyes that declared he was happy to be in the couple's presence. Upon seeing the rather quizzical expressions on the cops' faces, his eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Silly me, where are my manners!? I'm terribly sorry – I'm usually better with introductions," he blurted before brushing the nonexistent dirt off of his tuxedo and clearing his throat. "I'm Jack. Jack Savage. I'm the CEO of Furs Zootopia Bank. I'm, uh, sorry if my behavior just now was a bit confusing. You see, where I grew up, we were taught to always greet a lady respectfully, and if she was married, we were taught to be considerate of the husband. If I'm not mistaken, foxes can be rather protective of their mates, yes?"

Nick quirked an eyebrow and pursed his lips as he slowly nodded. Judy could see the cogs turning behind his eyes, but to her, he could have been thinking about anything from why Jack had asked permission to kiss her paw or how much he wanted to get home.

Upon seeing Nick's nod, Jack smiled. "I've wanted to meet with you two for a while now, but my work has kept me busy ever since you two stopped those four criminals – for which I thank you. Even now, I could only come here for a quick visit before I have to return to my office" he stated.

It was Judy's turn to quirk an eyebrow. "Wait, you're here to visit Mr. Big?" she asked with a sneaking suspicion in her voice.

Jack's eyes widened momentarily before a burst of laughter escaped his throat. "You know, I could say the same about you two," he merrily retorted with a twinkle in his eyes. Judy saw Nick smirk out of the corner of her eye – the hare had them there. "However, as to not get arrested, Officers," Jack continued with a coy smile, "I can tell you that I'm here because Mr. Big didn't only deal in illegal activities. Take his limo service, for example. That is a legitimate business, with legitimate accounts that the Furs Zootopia Bank takes care of. You know, thinking back on it, it was quite the clever ruse: if you have a business or front that actually follows the rules, it's all the harder to use to track you down.

"Anyway, enough about me. If I may be so bold, what were _your_ ties with the shrew?" Jack asked, his eyes flicking between both cops. When they didn't answer at first, the hare continued, "Aw, come on you two. I revealed that I did business with Mr. Big; it's only fair that you tell me your story. If you're worried about it, though, my lips are sealed." He made the lip-zipping gesture to emphasize his point.

There were others who knew of Nick and Judy's relations with the crime boss. Obviously, the Chief was informed, creating a useful asset for the ZPD. From there, the Chief had told only those he really trusted, such as the mayor and his Assistant Chiefs from the other precincts. However, it wasn't because Nick and Judy didn't trust anyone else that they didn't reveal their ties with the Big family; it was hard to bring something like that up in conversation, and most of the time it just wasn't an incredibly important piece of information regarding whatever the current situation was. Though, now that the current situation brought about an opportunity to reveal their relationship, Nick and Judy felt a bit awkward – this wasn't something they did on a regular basis.

Judy spoke up after clearing her throat. "Well, during my first case on the ZPD, Nick and I followed a lead that led us to Mr. Big. I had saved his daughter from a giant donut-shaped sign in Little Rodentia the day before, so I was quickly put on the shrew's good side. From there, I became the godmother of Fru Fru's daughter, Judy, and when I married Nick, he was brought into the Family as well."

Jack smiled and nodded. "You have it better than I do. Being a business partner is one thing, but being part of the Family – _that's_ quite the achievement," he stated with an almost dreamy tone. Catching himself, the hare quickly shook his head and returned his attention to the two cops, clearing his throat. "Ah, anyway, wasn't there a polar bear in the crash as well?"

"Yes," Nick spoke up, his mask still in place, "Jim Bratva is in the hospital right now, but the doctors don't think he'll make it. If anything, he had it worse than Mr. Big, so it's a miracle that he even has a _shred_ of life to cling to."

"I see," Jack replied solemnly. "Let us hope he can recover – Fru Fru and her husband need all the Family they can get. You do know what Mr. Big's death means for the city, correct?"

Judy nodded. "We've discussed it ourselves. We only have a few more days of leave, and then we'll be back on the force, making the world a better place!" As she said this, a wave of determination washed over the doe – the first since the incident at the warehouse. As if Nick sensed it too, he placed a paw on her shoulder. Shooting him a quick glance told Judy that he felt similarly.

It was then that the Zuber driver arrived. "Come on, Carrots. Our ride's here," Nick commented, gesturing towards the car with his snout. "It was nice meeting you, Stripes." Nick shot a friendly smirk in the hare's direction.

Jack smiled before suddenly remembering something. "Oh, wait! Before you go, take these," he exclaimed, handing over two business cards. "I still want to officially thank you for saving my bank, so give me a call whenever you want or need something."

Quickly glancing at each other, both Nick and Judy pocketed the cards – they were good at acquiring useful assets and friends, it seemed. "Of course," Nick piped up. "Just be prepared for something completely time-wasting and mundane."

The hare chuckled. "As you wish," he replied. "You two have a wonderful day, now!" He waved goodbye before spinning on his heel and walking away from the car. Similarly, Nick and Judy turned and entered the vehicle, shutting the door behind them.

* * *

Victor Wilde watched as his son and daughter-in-law left the funeral. So far, it seemed that Mr. Big's advice was working well for them – despite the dreary setting of the ceremony, they handled themselves rather well. This was a good sign to the older reynard. He shifted his gaze back up the small hill where Mr. Big's grave was. Several polar bears were now gently lowering the tiny casket into the earth. Not even a flicker of emotion revealed itself in Victor's expression as he watched.

Richard carefully walked up behind his boss and old friend – disturbing Victor in this state would be dangerous to most mammals. He patiently waited for Victor to acknowledge his presence as he stood a small distance away from the reynard. The wolf's own gaze slowly crawled up the hill, coming to rest upon the now-filled grave. The polar bears solemnly stood around the small heap of dirt, creating a sight that Richard would have called depressing.

"What do you want, Wooly?" Victor spoke up, catching the wolf's attention. Emerald met brown when the two mammals' gazes locked.

"It's time to get going," Richard replied, keeping a stoic expression. "You don't want to be late for your appointment."

Victor sighed; it was days like these that he wished he had a different line of work. This feeling was fleeting, however, as he reminded himself of his end goal. A wave of strict determination washed over the reynard as he turned to the wolf.

"Alright then. Let's go," Victor muttered, gesturing with his paw for Richard to lead the way. The two mammals walked in silence as they made their way to their vehicle, and the passed by very few of the attendees from the funeral. These mammals, including the hare that Nick and Judy were talking to earlier, were all ignored by the fox and wolf as they walked past.

The dominant thought in Victor's mind at the moment was his appointment. This wasn't something he was particularly excited to do, no matter what the press said about the ewe; she had still managed to almost get predators driven out of the city by fearful prey mammals. The location of the meeting wasn't the best either, but Victor had gotten lucky with his new-found resources – Mr. Big had friends _everywhere_.

It didn't take long, and soon, the two predators were pulling out of the parking lot and heading onto one of the main highways that ran through Zootopia. Victor grabbed his thick jacket from the back seat. The Tundratown Penitentiary was always freezing.

* * *

Very rarely was Judy ever this excited to be home, to be away from the cruel realities of this world. Just her and Nick in their own little, personal bubble, where nothing could harm them. It was secret, it was safe, it was secure.

The pleasantly familiar aromas of blueberries wafted throughout the house, soothing Judy's heavy heart. So much so, in fact, that the moment her ears picked up the sound of Nick locking the front door behind them, she turned and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Nick seemed surprised, for he was slightly startled by the sudden hug. It didn't take long for him to chuckle and return the embrace, however, much to Judy's relief. With the events of the past few days, this was something that she _needed_.

After a few moments, Nick released his grip on the bunny. "I'm hungry. How about you, Carrots?" When Judy said nothing and refused to break her embrace, Nick chuckled again. "Alright, have it your way." He hooked his arms under her legs and hoisted Judy off of the ground, eliciting a surprised squeak followed by timid chuckling. Nick then proceeded to carry his wife into the living room and set her on the couch, deftly moving away before Judy could wrap her arms around him again.

"Let me order us something first, Carrots. Then I'm all yours," Nick promised as he made his way to the kitchen. His smirk crept over his muzzle as he noticed Judy's arms crossing over her chest in a mock pout. As he looked through the list of tolerable takeout establishments on his phone, Nick couldn't help but realize that he felt more relaxed than he had in a while. Whether it was the fact that he and Judy were in their own home and away from any danger, or the fact that Judy wanted to just stay in his arms – where he could easily keep her safe – he did not know.

Judy, on the other hand, kept up her false pouting mood for another few seconds before it dissipated. A cautiously cheerful emotion soon enveloped her, and a grumble from her stomach brought about a genuine smile on her face – a first in what felt like a long time. "Hey Nick, what's on the menu?" she called as she craned her neck to get a good look at her husband in the kitchen.

"Uh, well, there's a Dominx-noes near here, but there's also that Chinese takeout that we really like," Nick replied. "I don't know, what do _you_ think, Carrots?"

Judy pondered the _extremely_ difficult decision. "Chinese sounds great," she declared almost immediately.

"You got it!" Thanks to Judy's sensitive ears, she could hear Nick dial the number and place the order: one veggie stir fry for her, one teriyaki chicken and fried rice for him. He ordered an extra helping of spring and egg rolls for them to enjoy, and of course, the fortune cookies that they always had a blast with. Just the thought of all that food was enough to make Judy's stomach grumble again.

Nick soon emerged from the kitchen, a bowl of blueberries in his paws. After shoving a handful of the tart treats into his mouth, Nick set the bowl on the coffee table and took the seat next to Judy, who longingly stared at the bowl but made no move to partake of its contents.

"Go ahead, Carrots," Nick said as he leaned forward and grabbed another handful. "I won't be able to finish all of these by myself."

"Don't lie, Slick," Judy retorted, shooting the fox a playful glare. "You and I both know that you are _perfectly_ capable of finishing that bowl off."

Nick chuckled. "True, but I don't want to. My hearing may not be as great as yours, but I do recognize the sounds of a hungry bunny when I hear them."

Judy's traitorous stomach grumbled in agreement, eliciting another chuckle from the fox. Rolling her eyes and silently cursing her hunger, Judy leaned over and grabbed a few blueberries. While she wasn't completely enamored with them like Nick was, she still greatly enjoyed the treat. Upon biting down on the berry, its tart taste exploded in her mouth, coating her tongue with the juice. Already, her hunger was weakening, and after a few more berries, Judy felt satisfied enough to comfortably wait for dinner to arrive.

For Nick, however, enough was never enough when it came to blueberries. It was as if the treats refused to actually satiate his hunger and instead accumulate into some other form of energy inside of him. Whatever the case, Judy knew that even if Nick emptied the bowl, he would still have room for dinner when it arrived.

As the seconds ticked by, Judy grew more and more bored. "Wanna see what's on TV?" she asked as Nick finished the last of the blueberries.

His muzzle filled with berries and coated with juice, all Nick could do was nod in affirmation. Satisfied with the answer, Judy retrieved the remote and turned on the television. The ZNN News Channel appeared on the screen.

 _"It's been two days since the accident that killed Mr. Big, one of the most notorious crime bosses of the city,"_ said one of the two news anchors – the moose. Before he could continue, however, Judy quickly changed the channel –

– to another news station. _"Our sources tell us that it was probably foul play. I mean, look at the evidence! The only two mammals found in the wreckage were Mr. Big and his polar bear, but there was no_ driver! _Something bigger is going on here, and if we're not careful, the whole city could be swept up with –"_

Again, Judy quickly changed the channel, and again, it was another news station. _"There is still no word on how his daughter and son-in-law are taking their loss. In other news, Dawn Bellwether is well on her way to getting off for good behavior. Recent interviews – from predator and prey alike – have shown that the ewe seems ready to come back into society as a, and I quote, 'changed mammal.'"_

"Let me try, Carrots," Nick muttered, holding out his paw for the remote. With a huff at the television, Judy complied and leaned into her fox as he began flipping through the channels. Unfortunately for them, it seemed that most of their favorite channels were either being interrupted by special news broadcasts or were advertising such things. A glance to Nick revealed to Judy the effect the stories were having on him. His lips were pulled back in a thin frown, his eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes struggled to hide his inner emotions. Judy didn't blame him, either: Mr. Big had been a huge part of his younger life, especially after Nick had run away from home.

A knock on the door startled the couple, but upon realizing what it might be, the relief that washed over them was visible. Nick quickly took the opportunity to turn the TV off and head over to the door where he retrieved and paid for the food. He then returned to the living room to drop off the takeout before making his way to the kitchen.

"Hey Carrots, what do you want to drink?" he called. The image of his tail sticking out from behind the fridge door suddenly popped into Judy's head, bringing a smile to her face.

"Do we still have those juices that I got from the store?" Judy called back.

"Uh, yeah," Nick answered. "We got Orange Mango, Strawberry Banana, Lemon Wheatgrass, what? Why is _that_ a flavor?"

Judy smiled. "I'll take the last one, please!" She could hear Nick's soft chuckle from the couch.

"Why am I not surprised?" the fox's quiet question also reached Judy's ears. Soon enough, Nick returned with a bottle of juice in one paw and a soda in the other. Sitting down next to Judy, he handed over her drink before popping the cap of his own. Without further ado, the two dove into their respective meals.

The moment the steaming vegetables reached her tongue, Judy felt like a weight was taken from her. Her stomach cried in the joy of having – somewhat – real food to fill it. Glancing at Nick told her that he was enjoying his food too, scarfing down the sauce-coated chicken the way he was. Upon catching a glance of his teeth before they sank into a piece of chicken and hid behind his lips again, Judy felt a faint shudder roll through her body.

 _This is stupid!_ she bitterly thought as she turned back to her own food, feeling much less hungry. _Why am I so afraid of him!?_

 _You know why,_ her mind replied. _But I'll spell it out for you since you seem so oblivious: he's a_ fox. _A_ predator. _Someone who could_ kill _you!_

Judy quickly shook her head to dismiss the thought, and it worked – temporarily. She took another bite of her stir fry before her mind decided to speak up again.

 _Come on, Judy! You know what happened at the warehouse! You were stalked and hunted. It was pure luck that the ZPD got there in time._

 _No, Nick was there. He could have kept me safe,_ Judy retorted, though before her mind answered, she knew it was a weak response.

 _Oh really? Your Nick, who was blindfolded, muzzled, and tied to a chair? I don't know about you, but_ I _don't see that as keeping you safe._

 _He'd never hurt me. I saw it in the forest when Hunter injected him with Night Howler,_ Judy reasoned.

 _You learned that he'd never_ intentionally _hurt you. But what about_ accidentally _, hmm?_ her mind retorted. _He's much bigger than you, he has sharper claws than you do, and he definitely has more teeth!_

Judy scowled at nothing in particular. She wasn't going to listen to herself as she _knew_ that she wasn't afraid of Nick. In fact, she was determined to prove it to herself! Gently placing her carton on the coffee table, Judy turned to her husband who had just finished an egg roll and was washing it down with soda. When he put that down, Judy quickly grabbed his attention by grabbing the red tie he was wearing.

She saw his eyes widen in surprise and anticipation upon meeting hers, and she could've sworn she saw the insides of his ears go pink. She kept her moves slow and smooth, effortlessly conveying what she wanted to do. Nick didn't seem to complain as Judy's arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Judy ignored the lingering taste of soda and egg roll in Nick's mouth and proceeded to gently pull her fox down onto the couch with her. She felt a low, pleased growl escape from Nick's throat and suppressed a shudder – she was determined to not succumb to fear. Just before her back had touched the seat of the sofa, Nick's strong arms held them both up.

"Now, now, Carrots," Nick playfully chided after breaking their kiss. "We don't want to wrinkle our Sunday clothes."

Judy's ears blushed as she realized that they had neglected to change when they got home. Nick must have noticed this, for his chuckle soon caught Judy's attention. "Don't worry, Carrots. I do believe that I can help with that."

His paws then proceeded to snake around to her back, where they gently unzipped the dress. Nick seemed to enjoy drawing out the motion, if his sly grin was anything to go by. Slowly, the dress was pulled from over her shoulders and down her body, revealing more of her silver and white fur. More than once, Judy flinched as Nick's claws grazed the skin beneath her fur, but it must have been easily misunderstood for enjoyment, for Nick seemed to miss it completely.

After many agonizingly long seconds, Nick gently pulled the dress down past Judy's feet and draped it on the arm of the sofa. He then proceeded to trail kisses all over Judy's body, much to her delight.

 _Don't think that this proves anything, Judy,_ her mind snapped. _This spur of the moment will eventually end, and you'll feel no different. You'll still be afraid of his teeth, his claws – of_ him!

Judy clenched her eyes, hoping to shut out the nagging thoughts of her mind. Upon opening them, she found Nick staring at her with mild amusement.

"You alright there, Carrots?" he asked, and Judy noticed the very faint tone of concern in his voice.

 _He'd never hurt me,_ Judy told herself again before gently grabbing Nick behind the ears and pulling him into another kiss. Her paws then grew a mind of their own as they began to unbutton his tuxedo and undershirt. With fluid movements and help from Nick, Judy soon had the two shirts removed and gently draped over the side of the couch.

Their kiss continued to deepen with their growing passion, but they had to break for air. Nick then dipped his muzzle into the crook of her neck, trailing kisses and gentle nips. The moment that she felt his teeth on her skin, Judy couldn't suppress her body's sudden and violent jerk. Nick, of course, noticed it and immediately pulled away, concern in his emerald eyes.

"Judy, what's wrong," he inquired. His eyes trailed over her form, trying to see if he had accidentally opened one of her wounds or hurt her in any way. The three, long claw marks across her chest did nothing for Nick's emotional state.

It wasn't hard to tell what Nick was looking at, and Judy felt a strange pang of sorrow. She considered telling Nick the full truth about her mental state, but she figured that it would run the risk of hurting Nick even worse than the press conference three years ago. Shutting out the smug voice in the back of her head that was undoubtedly chanting "I told you so," over and over, Judy addressed Nick. "I'm sorry. Ever since the warehouse incident, I've been thinking of the festival where Gideon Grey scratched me. I know I've gotten over that, but I can't help but jump a bit when something sharp suddenly touches me."

She hoped that the little bit of information was enough to tide Nick over. From the way his eyes softened and a relieved expression crept across his muzzle, it was safe to say that it was. "Alright then," Nick began. "How does no more claws or teeth sound?" To emphasize his point, Nick retracted his claws as far as they would go.

While Judy smiled on the outside, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Though he may be alright with it, Nick was now hiding a part of him that made him unique just to make Judy feel better. She was appreciative, yes, but she couldn't help but feel like the prey of the city who still vehemently feared predators.

"Thanks," Judy quietly muttered, averting her gaze. She heard Nick chuckle before his paw found its way under her chin. Her face was tilted up to meet Nick's lips in a kiss that she soon melted into. For the moment, her doubt was chased away, and all that remained was the fox she was pulling down on top of her.

* * *

The _real_ Tundratown Penitentiary looked as cold and harsh as the environment around it. With high, concrete walls and colorless facade, it felt as if all happiness was drained from the very air itself. Unlike its close relative, the Cliffside Asylum, the more "stable" threats found residence in the Tundratown Penitentiary.

One such resident was Ex-Mayor Dawn Bellwether, the ewe that was responsible for the Night Howler shootings. By this time, just about every Zootopian knew the story: the sheep had felt oppressed by the larger predators around her, and so she decided to try to run them out of the city using prey mammals' fear. It would have worked had it not been for the combined forces of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps-now-Wilde.

Of course, that was nearly three years ago, and as times change, so do the animals. At least, that seemed to be Bellwether's slogan as she set about making herself better in the hope of returning to society. Being a sheep, it was instinct to remain in a large herd, so the isolation she had in her cell was more and more maddening with each passing day.

A knock on the door caught Bellwether's attention, drawing her away from her thoughts. "Hey, Dawn! You got a visitor," came a gruff voice from outside the steel door. It didn't sound like the wolf that normally stood guard in her particular hallway, but the penitentiary was always changing up rotations in security.

"Give me just a moment," she called back, turning around to her reflection in the mirror. She quickly checked the appearance of her wool, wanting to make a good impression on whoever was visiting – an extra boost towards getting off for good behavior. Once she was finished, she turned and made her way to the door. "Alright, I'm ready."

Her eyes widened in surprise as she found that it was not the wolf that normally guarded this hallway. Instead, it was an arctic fox that Bellwether had only seen lingering around the mess hall during meals. She had never caught his name, but at the moment, she didn't really care. Soon, she would be away from this place.

The fox led her on in silence, leaving the sheep to her thoughts. As usual, she was curious as to who would be visiting her and, as of late, if it could benefit her status on good behavior. However, she was jerked from her thoughts when she realized that they weren't going to the visitation room, but instead heading towards the direction of the interrogation rooms. This both excited and unnerved the ewe; whoever was visiting her was either with the ZPD, high city officials, or someone very influential.

"Here we are," the guard grunted, coming to a sudden stop before a door with the label _Room B_. While not very intimidating at first glance, Bellwether knew the rumors that circulated this particular room. It was known to many criminals that Mr. Big had some power within the Tundratown Penitentiary, so if a visit was wanted, it was always done in Room B. The ewe had thought it silly, especially because of the obvious giveaway, but that didn't stop the cold wave of nervousness that washed over her.

The fox closed the door behind Bellwether once she entered the room, leaving complete and eerie silence in his wake. The ewe cautiously walked about the room, her hazel eyes glancing around for any sign of who was about to visit her. The desk that sat in the middle of the room was obviously built for medium-sized mammals, such as cougars or wolves. However, there was an adjustable seat designed so that even Bellwether could comfortably sit at the table. Upon not finding anything out of the ordinary, the ewe decided to do just that, taking the seat and immediately adjusting it so that she could see above the table.

No sooner had she done this did the door open, startling Bellwether. Her eyes widened in confusion as Nick and some wolf she didn't know walked in. She found it strange that Nick was so well-dressed in his brown business suit, but of course, this was the fox that married a bunny that she was questioning. Only when Nick spoke up did Bellwether realize that she was wrong.

"Hello there, Bellwether," Victor Wilde said, his emerald eyes shooting a look that sent shivers down the ewe's spine. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Victor, and I have a proposition for you."

 **Yes, I am creating my own interpretation of Jack Savage. I shall be very proud of him, and the start of that is the fact that he shall have Cary Elwes' (Westley from Princess Bride, Baron from Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns) voice! That hath been decreed! And no, I'm not the first to have Jack not be a spy. When Instinct Falls, which has been out much longer than this story has, puts Jack in a similar occupation. Anyway, hooray for Act 2! Woo!**

 **Also, before you ask, my Bellwether isn't** _ **scared**_ **of predators; she just didn't like them. Hence her being willing to try to go back into society. So now you know.**


	14. Nightmare

**Alright, so this is a pretty dark chapter. If you're sensitive to emotional trauma and the like, then I recommend skipping the beginning of this chapter and treading lightly to the end, or just skipping this altogether.**

Judy ran faster than she had ever run before. Any other time, this would have been an exhilarating experience for her. The blood coursing through her veins would have reminded her that she was alive and well; the adrenaline, that she was pushing past her limits. However, as she ran through the unnaturally barren streets of Zootopia, a feeling of wrongness welled up inside of her stomach and blossomed throughout her body.

For all she knew, there was nothing behind her, but her mind screamed to run away from the imminent danger. The sound of her feet slapping against the pavement echoed against the eerily pale buildings, adding to the atmosphere that was created with the help of the ominously low whistling of a nonexistent breeze. Half-open doors creaked loudly, setting Judy on edge and causing her to immediately turn the other way.

Every single window was filled with blackness, hiding whatever demons could be lurking behind them. Despite the glaring sunlight that washed over the empty streets, every alleyway ended in total darkness. Judy made sure to avoid those completely, despite knowing the shortcuts that were provided. She didn't feel safe without a particular fox.

The moment that the thought of Nick entered her mind, a loud snarl sounded from behind the bunny. Panic shot through her system, and Judy picked up her speed. She ducked down another street and rolled to avoid running into a haphazardly parked car. In fact, dozens of abandoned, run-down cars littered the street – some with open doors, others with missing parts, and all of them equally creepy. Another growl from behind got Judy running again, chasing away any rational thoughts.

Judy used the cars to her advantage, jumping atop them to remain out of the reach of whatever was behind her. The vehicles creaked and groaned under her weight, revealing their apparently old age. Some of the machines bent or popped when she landed, startling the bunny and almost throwing her off more than a few times. All the while, the snarling and snapping continued to grow in volume and proximity.

Launching herself from a car and landing in an intersection placed Judy in the sights of the ZPD. This building remained in all of its glory – a stark contrast to the city around it. Light from the sun reflected off of the facade, shimmering with the hope and justice that it represented. Judy remained planted to the spot for a moment, unsure if what she saw was _really_ the ZPD. The growling to her left was getting closer, but what caught her attention was a blob of orange in the distance, near the front doors of the police headquarters.

And then his voice reached her. "Carrots!" came the call, echoing across the empty streets. But it was still _his_ voice.

Judy's ears shot up, and she took off like a bolt of lightning. Her Nick was waiting for her, and the sooner she got to him, the sooner she could be _safe_. He would protect her from all harm, she knew. The frightening noises behind her didn't stay faint for long, soon returning to being right on her heels. As the ZPD got closer, the orange blob began to take shape. Nick stood there in full uniform. One paw held the door open, and the other was stretched out towards her – beckoning her. His emerald eyes remained locked onto hers, but Judy knew that he could see what was behind her. The fright in his eyes drove the bunny on.

Her muscles screamed in protest, her lungs burned with the insufficient amount of oxygen that was provided, and her head raced with hundreds of thoughts at once. The streets beside her blurred out of focus, blending together until it looked and felt like she was running down a hallway with massive walls. The only point in Judy's line of vision that remained clear was her fox earnestly beckoning her to safety. Under her feet, Judy could feel the ground begin to change. No longer was it cold, rough pavement; instead, it smoothed out and became almost slippery to her feet. Before she could comprehend or even process the change, Judy felt a pair of warm, strong arms wrap around her and pull her away.

All at once, the growling stopped. The very air went silent, and all Judy could hear was the beating of her heart in her ears. She began to calm down as the feeling of being utterly _safe_ washed over her. Her fox was here, holding her close and repelling all of the dark things that chased her. As his paws began to gently stroke her back – something that _always_ soothed her – Judy deeply inhaled his scent, letting it take dominance in her mind. All she wanted was to get lost in – wait a minute. Why does he faintly smell of blood?

Judy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Did Nick have some injury that she didn't know about? Was it worse than she thought? Being a bunny meant that she didn't have the strongest nose amongst others in all of mammaldom, so maybe what she was smelling was much stronger to others.

"Carrots, are you alright?" Nick asked, but his voice sounded odd. His "t" sounds were accompanied with a lisp, similar to that of the old mammals Judy would visit at the senior home in Bunnyburrow. Somewhat reluctant to leave the warmth of the fox, Judy gently leaned back so that most of Nick was within her line of sight.

What she saw made her gasp and jump away in surprise.

"Carrots, what's wrong?" Nick asked again with his strange lisp. Now Judy understood why. Nick's lips were caked with dried blood that – mixed with his concerned and usually friendly attitude – made him seem deranged. Behind his lips were bloody gums; his teeth were nowhere to be seen. Judy's eyes widened with regret and horror as they continued to survey Nick. His paws were caked with blood as well, the most noticeable amount being at the tips of his fingers where his claws _should_ have been. A glance to his bloody feet revealed that, just like his teeth, _all_ of Nick's claws had been ripped out.

 _"How does no more claws or teeth sound?"_

The fact that Nick seemed completely unaware of his blood-covered state unnerved Judy even more, causing her to back away whenever he gently advanced. "Judy?" Nick whispered, the hurt in his eyes painfully evident.

"Nick, what happened to you?" Judy asked, her own voice eerily echoing against the walls of the empty lobby of the ZPD.

Her partner seemed confused at first, but as soon as his eyes flicked to his clawless paws, he looked like he understood. When he turned back to her, however, his emerald eyes were dark. "You were scared of me, Judy. I didn't want that, so I fixed myself. Now, I won't ever hurt you, and you don't have to be afraid." His voice lacked the warmth that it usually carried. It was, instead, replaced with a monotonous, emotionless drone that chilled Judy to her very core.

Nick took another step forward, his bloody paws outstretched towards the bunny. Judy scrambled back. This wasn't her Nick. "Am I still scary to you, Judy?" Nick inquired as he continued to advance. The light that had been filling the lobby suddenly changed, casting long, dark shadows over everything. Half of Nick's face was completely covered in blackness while the other was heavily unsaturated. His emerald eyes, however, seemed to glow with malice and hunger. No longer were they the eyes of Judy's favorite fox; they were the eyes of a savage predator stalking its prey.

"Do you still _hate_ the thought of me being near you?" the fox continued, his voice nothing but a harsh growl. Judy kept backing away, her fear-filled eyes locked onto the predator. Her nose uncontrollably twitched, and her breathing became sporadic again.

"You probably wish that you had married a strong, handsome rabbit, huh? Maybe even that _intriguing_ Jack Savage? I bet that you're regretting ever having married me in the first place, am I right?" Suddenly, pseudo-Nick launched forward, his bloody mouth inches away from Judy's neck. "Because I'm nothing but a sly, conniving fox that can't be honest to save his life. I'm nothing but a vicious predator growing _so very_ hungry and waiting to be set loose. I'm nothing but a _savage_ that should be locked away in a _cage!_ "

"That's enough, Nicholas!" came an oddly familiar voice from behind the fox. With a reluctant whine, the fake Nick backed off of Judy, though he remained on all fours. As soon as his blood-covered face was removed from her line of sight, Judy could see who had called off the predator. She wasn't calmed down by the sight; instead, her already shot nerves went hyperactive, screaming at her to get away.

Alex Hunt stood before her, wearing the same blue T-shirt and black shorts he had worn the first time they met. That was over a year ago, and Alex – or better known as _Hunter_ – was supposed to be dead.

"Hello there, little bunny," Hunter greeted, his smooth, English accent sending shivers down Judy's spine. "Having a bad day, are we?"

Judy said nothing. Instead, she fearfully stared at the snow leopard standing before her. Despite the harsh lighting, his stark, white fur stood out in a terrifyingly beautiful fashion and was contrasted by pitch black spots. While his coat was envy-inducing at most times, it was now absolutely frightening to the poor bunny that vainly scrambled away from the two predators.

Hunter squatted down, resting his arms on his knees – even now, he was still taller than Judy. His cold, blue eyes shone with cruel satisfaction as he regarded the bunny in front of him. "This is truly an incredible sight to behold, you know," he commented, a small grin creeping over his muzzle. "And to think that I had to _die_ to see it. In a way, that makes this all the more worth it."

Again, Judy remained silent. Her eyes desperately sought out any sign of escape, but there was nothing. The lobby of the ZPD had morphed into an isolated room. She was trapped with a deranged snow leopard and a savage fox.

"I hope you understand how absolute my victory is now, Judy," Hunter stated with a sort of sadistic glee in his voice.

"Your _victory?_ " Judy echoed, quickly getting over the surprise of having suddenly found her voice. "You didn't win! We stopped you from making predators savage again."

Hunter laughed – a cruel sound that was completely void of mirth. "Making predators go savage?" the leopard repeated. Pseudo-Nick's own chuckling could be heard. "You _really_ think that was my ultimate goal? Don't be stupid, bunny. I, of all mammals, should know that predators are not mindless killing machines. No, my goal was something far more, _intimate_."

Judy was confused, but she now no longer worried about escape. Hunter's words had her trapped in her curiosity.

"I wanted prey to fear predators again. And not in the sense of 'oh, preds are so dangerous and evil and they'll gobble you up if you so much as look at them wrong!'" Hunter donned a high-pitched, accent-less, mocking voice as he said this. "I wanted a _deeper_ kind of fear. The kind that made prey mammals flinch any time they saw their predator friend's claws; the kind that made them doubt any help they received from predators. I wanted predator and prey to be mentally incapable of getting over their differences enough to 'love' each other. _That,_ Judy, was my ultimate goal.

"And guess what, little bunny? It worked."

Judy could only stare at the snow leopard, her mind barely willing to process all that had been said. However, she knew it was all true. She knew that she feared Nick's claws and teeth; she was aware of how she flinched whenever they brushed against her body. And it _terrified_ her.

Glancing to pseudo-Nick, she felt sorrow stab at her heart. The fox sat on his haunches, and could have looked innocently endearing had it not been for the cold light in his emerald eyes and the fact that he was covered with blood.

A grim realization dawned upon Judy. Many mammals _wanted_ to see predators treated this way: "fixed" for the benefit of mammaldom. Taking away what made them so wonderfully different just so they wouldn't be a threat anymore. The icy guilt welled up inside of Judy's stomach, promptly bringing her to vomit on the tile floor.

Hunter chuckled again. "Is the stress too much for the famed Officer Hopps?" he inquired with a coldly teasing tone. "Has she finally realized the burden of her mistakes?"

Suddenly, Hunter's face dominated Judy's vision. The bunny could make out every strand of fur in painful detail; she could see the furious quivering in his nostrils. His blue eyes were like two raging infernos of pure, unadulterated anger and hate. His hot breath blasted across her face, eliciting inside of Judy a desire to scramble away.

"You are lost, little bunny, so very lost. Your _disgusting_ relationship with this fox will go down in history as one of the biggest failures of all time, and you will both be scarred by it. No respectful rabbit would _ever_ love a bunny who was _tainted_ by a fox, and Nick will forever be ridiculed as a prey-loving pervert. Your reputations tarnished, you'll both devolve into isolation-induced madness," the snow leopard chuckled darkly. "My only regret is that I'm not around to see it happen."

With a roar, Hunter lashed out at Judy. His glittering fangs were the last thing she saw before her world was enveloped by darkness.

* * *

The bunny jerked awake. The fur under her eyes was darkened with tears, and her breathing was painfully sporadic. Every muscle gave violent spasms as Judy's mind raced. Hunter's cruel face kept repeating itself in her mind over and over again, refusing to leave.

"Judy?" came a familiar voice, and soon, two warm arms were wrapped around the bunny's body. The moment her face was buried into a chest of cream-colored fur, Judy broke. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks and onto her husband's fur, and she held Nick in a tight embrace as if she would lose him at any second. "Judy, what happened? Are you okay?" Nick repeated, the concern evident in his voice.

Judy could say nothing as she continued to sob into Nick's chest, though the fact that there was no scent of blood on Nick was a consolation to her. Unable to do anything else, Nick began to gently stroke Judy's back. He used the pads of his paws first, and then slowly incorporated his claws into the gesture. Judy gently jerked the moment one such claw scraped across her back, but her initial fear was quickly replaced with comfort and relief. In regards to Nick's state of being, her dream wasn't a reality.

Nick continued to stroke his wife's back as he trailed kisses down her face and whispered into her ears, reassuring her, calming her. Slowly but surely, Judy's sobs began to subside, and her heart rate slowed to something relatively normal. All Judy wanted to do now was stay in Nick's arms with her face buried in his chest, hiding away from realities both true and false. She just wanted her Nick.

The next few minutes passed in silence. Judy's sobs had been reduced to the occasional sniffle, and Nick's paws continued to lovingly stroke his bunny's back. Now that her mind was somewhat clear, Judy realized that she and Nick were not in their bedroom, but in the living room. The clothes they had worn to Mr. Big's funeral were still draped over the sofa, and their takeout remained untouched on the coffee table.

"Are you alright, Judy?" Nick asked once more, leaning his head down to catch a glimpse of her amethyst eyes.

Judy gave a slow nod, still reluctant to leave the warmth of her husband. "Just a bad dream," she mumbled into his cream-colored fur. However, "bad" was an understatement.

"Well, I guess part of that is my fault," Nick thoughtfully commented as he gently placed his snout between her ears. "I got us Chinese food, and then we fell asleep out here on the couch. Probably not the best combo before bed, huh?"

Despite herself, Judy couldn't help but chuckle. "The other part was me being rather affectionate last night," she added, thankful for the distraction from the vivid nightmare still burning in her mind.

It was Nick's turn to chuckle, and Judy felt the vibrations in his chest. "Hey, I'm not complaining at all about that bit, Judy. But are you _sure_ that you're alright?" The concern was evident in his voice and eyes. Judy couldn't help but be reminded of when Nick was having nightmares, back when they were first dealing with Hunter. Now, however, the roles were swapped.

And Judy understood why Nick might not have given the entire truth.

How would Nick take it? Would he be hurt by how Judy had seen him in her dream? Would Hunter's words actually get to him as they had done to her? Judy dared not risk it, not while she needed him. "I'm just a little shaken is all. Really, Nick, I'll get over it," she lied before burying her face into his chest once more.

She could feel Nick's skeptic gaze on her, but the fox did not press on. "Alright. If you want to talk about it, though, I'm right here."

Judy smiled into Nick's fur. In a careful manner, Nick began to shift his weight so that he was sitting comfortably on the couch, facing the TV. The movements of his body gently startled Judy at first before she laughed and held on tight, moving along with her fox. Once Nick was comfortable again, he reached for the blanket they had used the night before and draped it over their bodies.

"Mm, so warm," Judy mumbled as she began nuzzling Nick's chest, much to her husband's amusement.

"Sometimes, I swear that you only love me for my body," Nick commented, eliciting a weak chuckle from the bunny.

"Sometimes, it's completely true," Judy joked, but her smile quickly faded as images of bloody, claw-less Nick flashed through her mind.

 _You may "love him" for his body, but until he gets rid of those knives he calls his claws and teeth, you won't ever be safe around him,_ her mind taunted in pseudo-Nick's voice. Judy shuddered and gave her husband a timid squeeze.

"How about some TV then, Carrots?" Nick suggested, having noticed Judy's sudden hug. It was evident that he could see that something was eating at her, but Judy was glad that he didn't pry too much. With some reluctance, Judy turned herself around to face the television, but she refused to leave Nick's lap. This was not a problem for the fox, for he quickly enveloped her with his body, almost becoming a second blanket for the small bunny. With his snout gently resting between her ears, Nick began to flick through the channels. Similar to last night, they ended up going through quite a few news stations. It was with some annoyance that Nick flicked through the different channels, but there was one report that made him pause.

 _"We have received word from the Tundratown Penitentiary that last night, Bellwether was assaulted and nearly murdered during a visit. The only witness was the guard that had been standing outside the room, but he was gravely injured while trying to protect the Ex-Mayor's life; sources say that he has been discharged for medical leave, and may not return due to the severity of his injuries. Information on what hospital he is staying in has been deemed confidential and will not be shared with the public. We'll now go to our reporter who is currently with Bellwether."_

The television screen now revealed a skinny antelope standing at a table. At the other end was the ewe that had, at one point, wanted to create a fear of predators that would tear Zootopia apart: Bellwether.

 _"Tell us: do you know who attacked you?"_ the reporter asked.

 _"I-I'm not sure. He kept his face hidden before and after h-he attacked me,"_ Bellwether replied, her hazel eyes nervously glancing between the reporter and the camera. _"I do know, though, what species he was. Y-you see, the mammal who attacked me was a predator – a f-fox."_

Nick and Judy widened their eyes in shock. Sure, some predators had hated the ewe's guts when she was first arrested, but that was over three years ago! Bellwether was well on her way to getting off for good behavior.

 _"Really? A fox!?"_ the reporter echoed, sounding rather flabbergasted.

Bellwether nodded, her expression still somewhat shaken up. _"I-I'm afraid that's the truth,"_ she stated before straightening herself up and trying to look as serious as possible. _"But please don't take this like I'm hateful towards foxes now. I-I've learned my lesson: an individual isn't particularly guilty of its species' c-crimes. The last thing I want is to return to a Zootopia that is s-split in half."_ Despite the nervousness in Bellwether's voice, Nick and Judy couldn't help but feel that something was _off_ with the ewe.

 _"Alright, then,"_ said the reporter before turning to face the camera. _"Well, you heard it here first, folks: Bellwether was the victim of a hate crime. A rather ironic, yet sad turn of events for the ewe who would be returning to society soon enough. Back to you –"_

Nick quickly turned off the TV, not willing to hear any more of the news. Judy could feel the chagrin emanating from her husband and pitied him; he had wanted to help her calm down with some pleasant television, but instead, they were given grim news. She grabbed his paw and kissed it to comfort him, and upon seeing again that his claws were still intact, she smiled.

"You know the city's gonna be in an uproar after something like that, right?" Nick stated, catching Judy's attention. "Sure, Bellwether _said_ that she wouldn't hold a grudge, but I can bet you that there are _plenty_ of mammals who are gonna want blood now."

Judy pursed her lips and nodded in agreement. The whole situation was made worse by the fact that the attacker was a fox. The species that was already looked down upon would have stronger ridicule now, even if Nick was such a celebrity. As an icy knot formed in the pit of her stomach, Judy snuggled closer into Nick's body. Her desire to stay inside for the rest of the day was stronger than ever.

Unfortunately, she knew that this couldn't be the case. "We should probably go visit Bellwether, right?" she asked in a halfhearted manner.

"Even though we _should_ , we _are_ on 'vacation,' Carrots," Nick replied. Judy was comforted as she felt his voice in his chest. "We don't have to go unless you want to."

"As tempting as staying home with my favorite fox is, I know I wouldn't feel right if we didn't go," Judy stated with an almost sad tone in her voice.

"I agree. Should we go in uniform, or casual?"

Judy thought on this for a moment. "Well, no one else really knows of our impromptu vacation, so showing up in casual clothes would be hard to explain. I say we go in uniform to avoid any complications."

"Right, but if we go in uniform, Bogo could find out, and then we'd have to explain to him what we were doing," Nick reasoned.

Judy's ears folded back against her head. "That's true, but still, that would be easier to explain than if we went in casual clothes."

Nick thought on that for a second, and then nodded in agreement. "You're right. Alright then, Carrots, let's get moving. I don't want to be in Tundratown longer than we have to."

* * *

Despite being dressed in thick, warm coats and pants, the frigid air of the blizzard-covered district still managed to bite at Nick and Judy's fur. Using the cruiser they were lent seeing as their car had been totaled, the two cops made their way down the winding, seemingly random road towards the Tundratown Penitentiary.

As Nick drove along, Judy was tempted more than a few times to snuggle up next to him for warmth. However, her dream continued to flash through her mind, keeping her from acting on these desires. Instead, she just curled in on herself, trying to soak in as much of her own body warmth as possible. Thankfully, Nick had turned the cruiser's heater up to full blast, but even that was nearly overpowered with the ice-cold weather outside. The Penitentiary was perfectly placed to keep many unwanted visitors out and dangerous prisoners in.

It seemed like an eternity, but the cruiser finally made it to the front gates of the prison. They were greeted by an arctic wolf in incredibly thick clothing, and after revealing their badges, they were quickly allowed inside. Judy nearly cried for joy when she found that visitor parking was indoors and _heated_. Now that the two cops were in comfortable weather, they discard their winter clothes before making their way into the penitentiary.

"Hello, there!" Judy greeted with as much cheer as she could muster as soon as she and Nick made it to the front office. The receptionist, a bored-looking caribou, slowly looked up from his computer screen. "My name is Officer Hopps, and this is my partner, Officer Wilde. We've come here to talk with Ex-Mayor Bellwether."

"I'm sorry, but she's not taking visitors at this moment," the caribou droned before returning his gaze to his screen. "You'll have to come back at another time."

Judy hesitated for a second before continuing. "But, this is important, sir. My partner and I need to interrogate her for the case that we're working on," she lied.

The caribou scoffed. "Right, sure. Case or no case, you can't go in. _Especially_ him!" he declared as he pointed at Nick, who quirked an eyebrow in response.

 _Great,_ Judy thought, _here comes the prejudice again_.

"I'm sorry, but ever since the predator attack on Bellwether, we've enacted a few rules and regulations around here. Only prey mammals are allowed to visit other prey mammals, and preds with preds. It's the new rules."

"But please, sir, if you would just –" Judy began, but she was interrupted by the caribou.

"I'm sorry, Officer. But we can't allow –" This time, the caribou was interrupted, but by another, gruff voice.

"Just let them in, Barry! They won't do any harm!" the heavily accented voice bellowed, startling all three mammals. To the right, from behind the door that led to the interrogation rooms, stood a massive polar bear. His lips were twisted in a scowl, yet there were visible wrinkles in the fur around his eyes that told of years of smiling. His coal-black eyes, though hard and cold now, immediately warmed up as they turned towards the two officers. This polar bear was well-built for his species, but when having to deal with any prisoners that didn't like to cooperate, it wasn't a surprise.

It wasn't hard for Nick and Judy to deduce that this was the warden of the penitentiary, and they soon walked over as he beckoned them. Stepping aside, he allowed the two officers to pass through the door before closing it behind him. "Hello there, officers. I'm Warden Alexander Bratva. It is pleasure to have you here again after so long."

"Wait a minute," Nick spoke up, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Bratva? As in the polar bears that worked for Mr. Big?"

The warden gave a hearty laugh. "There's no need to be suspicious, my friend. You see, Mr. Big and his friends come from line in our family that broke off to life of crime. There are still those – like me – in Bratva family who only want to contribute to society. Trust me, it hasn't been easy."

"I see," Nick muttered, though he didn't look one hundred percent convinced.

"Anyway, you wish to see Bellwether, yes? She has had many interviews with many radio stations, but I'm sure she would appreciate something different," Alexander stated merrily as he led them through the bleak, yet intimidating corridors of the penitentiary.

It didn't take long for the polar bear to stop in front of a door, above which hung a sign labeled "Interrogation Room B." Turning back to the two cops, the warden opened the door and ushered them inside. "Bellwether is here. When you are finished, just tell Dennis here," he said, gesturing towards the grim-looking wolf in uniform. Judy couldn't place her finger on it, but she felt very uneasy in the presence of the guard.

The moment Nick and Judy entered the room, Alexander closed the door behind them, leaving the two cops in a silence that was soon broken. "Nick! Judy! I'm so glad you came to visit me!" Bellwether exclaimed almost desperately. "They've been asking me questions non-stop! I've had to relive the nightmare that was last night over and over again. I'm sure you know how that feels, you guys."

Nothing changed on a physical level for Nick and Judy, but a chord was struck. Judy fought the urge to lower her ears as flashbacks of her recent nightmare rushed through her mind, and Nick decidedly stepped a bit closer to her. However, they did have a job to do, so they gave the ewe a nod and then took their seats across the table. The chairs had to be adjusted so that the two cops could sit comfortably at the table, just like Bellwether's. Once Nick and Judy were seated, an uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

The silence remained for a few moments before Bellwether decided to break it. "So, you're gonna ask me questions too, huh?" she asked, looking rather put out by the fact. "And here I was hoping that I'd finally get a break."

Judy steeled herself and held her tongue. There was a minuscule amount of pity for the ewe since they both had similar experiences, but the events of three years ago still left a bad taste in the bunny's mouth. Without the knowledge of whether or not Bellwether was being sincere, Judy was going to tread cautiously. Judging Nick's expression, he was going to do the same.

"If it makes you feel any better, our questions can help us track down your attacker and bring him or her to justice," Judy stated as she pulled out her carrot pen and notebook.

Bellwether seemed to relax a bit. "That's definitely a bonus," she said with a nervous chuckle. "I-I'll try my best."

Nick and Judy shared a glance and a nod – a sign that they were on the same page. "Alright then, let's get started. Was there anyone else with your attacker yesterday?" Judy asked, her pen and notebook at the ready.

"I don't think so," Bellwether replied after a brief moment to think. "But then again, anything before the attack has become really blurry. All I _vividly_ remember was how the fox lunged at me. If it wasn't for the guard, I-I would have been..." her voice trailed off, and her gaze went downcast.

"Okay then. Did you see the color of your attacker's fur, or his eyes?" Nick asked, hoping to keep Bellwether's mind from going down a dark path. From personal experience, he knew that it wasn't smart to dwell on a traumatic experience for too long.

"Well, he wore quite a lot of clothes that covered his fur, but I did see his tail," Bellwether muttered, her gaze flicking back to the two cops. "It was all gray."

"Gray fur, huh?" Nick echoed, crossing his arms. He didn't know a lot of gray or even platinum foxes that lived in Zootopia, but the ones he _did_ know weren't likely suspects to him.

"What about height, or build?" Judy asked as Nick mulled over his thoughts.

"Um, he _could_ have been Nick's height and shape, but he was moving so fast that I couldn't get a good look," was the reply.

"Of course," Judy mumbled before writing down the information. "Would you be able to recognize your attacker by voice?"

"H-He didn't really talk a lot, even when he was attacking me, so I doubt it," Bellwether answered with an apologetic tone."

"Okay, how about distinguishing features?" Nick interjected. "Was there anything odd about his appearance that caught your eye?"

"I don't think so," Bellwether stated. "Like I said, he kept a lot of his fur and body hidden under a lot of clothes, like a hoodie and baggy jeans, so if there was anything, I wouldn't have been able to see it."

Now _there_ was something. Judy quickly wrote down the description of the clothes that Bellwether had mentioned and tried to dig a bit deeper. "Do you remember the color that his clothes were?"

Bellwether placed a hoof under her chin in thought, her hazel eyes glancing about the room as if the answer was written on the walls. "Um, I think he wore a gray hoodie with black pants."

Judy immediately wrote down the new info. While the information was useful, the color choices were extremely vague and common; their search wouldn't be narrowed down enough to easily pinpoint their suspect.

"Okay, how about this," Judy began, turning back towards the ewe. "Do you know of any specific mammals that would want you hurt? Such as old political enemies, other mammals that wanted your job as Assistant Mayor, or anyone that didn't want you around _before_ the Night Howler Incident?"

Bellwether gave a nervous shrug. "Being holed up in here hasn't been all that great on my memory. If there was anyone like that, I wouldn't remember them, and I'm sure they would have gotten over their grudges after I was arrested. H-Honestly, I think that someone was mad because of what I did three years ago, and they just didn't get over it. I'm sorry if that sounds rude or arrogant, but it's gotta have _some_ truth, you know? Who else would want to attack a ewe like me?"

Nick and Judy exchanged glances. If that was true, then this entire debacle was a pure hate crime, something that wouldn't sit well with a very unstable society of hundreds of different species. With the added threat of Victor Wilde, Zootopia was treading on thin ice.

"Um, are we done, then?" Bellwether asked, glancing between the two cops.

Judy sighed. "Yes, that's all. Thank you for your time." With that, she and Nick stood up and made their way to the exit.

"You're welcome," Bellwether replied with a weak smile and small wave. "It was really nice for you to come visit me. You were much nicer to talk with than the reporters."

The two cops gave the ewe a small nod before exiting the room and closing the door behind them.

* * *

Alexander Bratva entered his office, a warm, cheery room that seemed to mirror his personality. However, just like himself, the place held many dark secrets. One of them being the fact that he could make a direct call to Mr. Big's manor with just the press of a button.

"Hello?" came a gruff voice over the intercom.

The warden was still reeling from the fact that his original boss – his close friend – was dead and replaced by this fox that seemed to come out of nowhere, but if the shrew trusted him, then he was sure he could do so as well. "It's the warden," Alexander stated.

"Ah, excellent!" Victor Wilde exclaimed. "I guess you have good news for me?"

"Officers Wilde and Hopps just arrived for their visit with Bellwether," the warden reported.

A low chuckle sounded on the other side of the line. "Perfect! Just like I knew they would. Thank you so much, Alex." With that, the line went dead.

Warden Bratva was somewhat confused as the sudden end of the conversation, but he chose not to dwell on it for too long. Despite having such criminal ties, the bear still had a legitimate job to do. Without a moment's hesitation, Alexander exited his office and pretended like nothing had happened.

* * *

The trip back home was just as quiet as it had been on the way to the penitentiary. While Nick seemed to be focusing on the road, Judy could see all the wheels turning behind his eyes. If anything, he seemed as bothered by their talk with Bellwether as she was. It was obvious that the ewe was shaken up by the experience, but Judy couldn't help but feel like they didn't have the _full_ picture.

Judy considered talking with Nick about what he thought of their interview, but ultimately decided against it. Nick looked tense enough as it was, and she dared not push him too far. With how shot his nerves seemed to be lately, she wouldn't know if she was walking on thin ice until it was too late.

When they reached the apartment complex, they were somewhat surprised to see that Stacy wasn't at the desk. They had seen her there for so long that it was easy to forget that even the cheerful cougar took breaks every now and then. In fact, her newspaper was laid neatly on the table – the sign that she would be back any minute.

As they made their way to the elevator, they could hear Stacy's tell-tale whistling coming from the staff break room behind the front desk. Judy couldn't help the smile that broke out over her face as she was once again reminded of Clawhauser's energetic attitude. Her light mood continued to manifest inside of her as the elevator ascended towards their floor, and she wanted to share it with Nick. Judy leaned into Nick's side, and his arm almost immediately wrapped around her shoulder and gave her an affectionate squeeze.

The grin on Nick's face sent warm tingles down Judy's spine, and for a moment, she completely forgot about her fear. He was _her_ Nick, and she would make sure nothing changed that.

The elevator doors opened, and the couple stepped out into the hallway, side-by-side. Judy was glad that Nick had no intentions of having her leave his embrace at the moment, for he kept his arm wrapped around her shoulder as they made their way to their apartment.

When they arrived, though, their light mood diminished somewhat – the front door of their apartment was ajar. "Did you lock the door when we left, Nick?" Judy asked.

"Yeah, I did," came the reply. Nick then stepped forward, his arm now keeping Judy in place behind him. "Stay here," he ordered. His nose twitched as he searched for any foreign scents, and his ears were fully erect, listening for any sounds of danger.

Judy watched as Nick slowly but surely entered the apartment, using every single lesson he learned on the force; the instructors at the Academy would have been proud. When his tail disappeared behind the door, Judy suddenly felt alone. The hallway felt much longer and more dangerous, and the bunny half-expected Hunter to materialize out of thin air. It didn't help that Judy couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that she was being watched.

Finally, after many agonizingly long moments, Nick opened the door. "Alright, it's all clear. But there's something you should see."

Somewhat confused and definitely a little nervous, Judy cautiously followed her husband inside the apartment. She was surprised to find that everything looked the same as it did when they had left. Whoever had visited, if at all, hadn't touched a single object in the house. On the coffee table, however, was proof that someone was here.

A neatly folded driver's uniform from Mr. Big's Tundratown Limo Service sat upon the small table, almost as if on display. It was complete with the cap and a note that stood off to the side. A quick glance to Nick told Judy that she was to read said note.

She gingerly lifted the piece of paper off of the table as if it were a fragile, living thing that could break or attack at any moment. Opening the flap with her thumb, Judy read the note aloud, "'So close, yet so far. Keep trying. - V' Does that mean what I think it means?" she asked.

"If you think that the note was from my dad, and he somehow placed this uniform here, then yes," Nick replied grimly. "This also means that Mr. Big's death was not an accident and we're probably in for a crazy ride."

Judy felt sick to her stomach and sat down on the couch. "If that's the case, then I want off."

"You and me both, Carrots," Nick said as he took the seat next to Judy. "You and me both."

 **First off, I will admit that the Tundratown Penitentiary is inspired by the same place in the story Change Starts With You by winerp. This is a very,** _ **very**_ **good Zootopia fanfic that you should check out! Also, it felt** _ **great**_ **to bring Hunter back. Like, hoooly crap, he was fun to write!**

 **Secondly, I have a few updates to give to you guys! First item on the docket: there will not be an update for Family Ties next week. Seeing as next Thursday is Thanksgiving, my beta readers and I could use a break.**

 **This next part isn't one-hundred-percent decided on yet, but it is possible that Family Ties won't be updated until the second Friday in December. I've got a** _ **ton**_ **of stuff to do this month, and this fanfiction has been keeping me from doing it. I'm not fully decided yet because there is always the chance that I can figure out a better schedule, but that is rather unlikely.**

 **Also, I do have a Tumblr account! It's under the same username as here – Blenderguy15 – and it doesn't have a lot of stuff on it** _ **yet.**_ **I do, however, plan on posting more animations, art, and other cool things there once I actually start being productive. Plus, it will serve as a sort of notification hub for my fanfictions and YouTube updates.**

 **Speaking of YouTube, I've made** _ **another**_ **video about my ten favorite Zootopia fanfictions! It's not a Top Ten, but a list of suggestions. I recommend checking it out, because then you can** **find some pretty fantastic fanfictions to keep you satiated until I get back. I also have videos of me reading your reviews there, so those could be fun to check out as well. My channel is Blenderguy15, and it has the same icon/avatar as the one I have here.**

 **Finally, don't forget to check out my others stories – A Fluffy Fic A Day Keeps The Boredom Away especially. It's a one-shot collection filled with a ton of fluff and happiness that will hopefully make you smile. I'm also taking requests (through PM** _ **only**_ **– guests, or readers without an account, are allowed to use the guest reviews) for it, so there's that motivation to go read it.**

 **Anyway, thanks for getting through this monster of an Author's Note, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter. Happy early Thanksgiving!**


	15. Protest

**Welcome back! It's been a while, hasn't it? Anywho, I'm just here to say that – just like previous chapters – things are dark here, including a panic attack later on. Tread with caution if PTSD or anxiety don't sit well with you!**

"Carrots, come on," a voice whispered, barely breaking through the sleep-induced barrier around Judy's mind. "It's time to wake up. We've gotta go to the ZPD today, remember?"

Judy grumbled and rolled over, burying her face into the pillow. "I don't wanna," she slurred as she sluggishly waved her paw at the source of the voice. Maybe that would make it go away.

The bunny heard a chuckle. "Oh really? Is _that_ how it's gonna be?" the voice asked. Judy nodded into her pillow. "I guess that I'm gonna have to resort to drastic measures, then!"

This last statement was ignored by Judy, who was finally starting to drift back to sleep. She almost succumbed to slumber's warm embrace, but then she felt something _very_ cold tickle the back of her neck, startling her awake. "Hey!" she cried, whipping her head around the room to find out who had so rudely ruined her plans to sleep. Upon turning around, she found her husband giving her that smug grin he always seemed to wear.

"Oh good, you're awake," Nick teased. It all clicked in Judy's mind at that moment.

"Did you just –" she began, her paws flying to the back of her neck, "– rub your cold, wet nose on me!?"

Nick shrugged innocently. "I said that I needed to resort to drastic measures, Carrots," he admitted.

Judy scoffed and rolled her eyes. She was too tired to deal with any of Nick's shenanigans right then. It probably showed, because Nick suddenly became empathetic. "Look, Carrots, I'm sorry about that. I did need to wake you, though. Remember, we've gotta get ready for work; Bogo needs to see some evidence that may have Victor's name written all over it."

"I know," Judy sighed as she crawled out from under the sheets. "It's just been hard to go to sleep lately."

Nick enveloped the bunny in a warm hug. "I know. Me too."

Judy felt the tension in her body slowly dissipate in her husband's arms, and the rest of the day suddenly seemed brighter. The bunny smiled into Nick's chest. "Come on, Slick. I can't get dressed if we stay like this."

"Right, but you're _much_ better-looking right now," Nick teased, placing a kiss on the bun's forehead.

Judy couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her throat as she gently pushed the fox away. "Maybe if you behave today, you'll get to see more, then." She glanced over her shoulder as she walked to the closet, purposefully adding a suggestive sway to her hips. To her delight, Nick's tail began to wag furiously as the fox ogled her.

 _Oh yeah, he's eyeing you alright. You'd be a tasty dinner for sure,_ the bunny's mind teased.

 _Shut up,_ Judy retorted. Her spirits were too high to be affected by the dark portion of her mind – at least, for right now.

Slipping on the uniform after what felt like forever was like coming home for Judy – it was a reminder that she was where she belonged. Her uniform snugly hugged her body, making the bunny feel like she could take on the world again. Judy glanced to the fox getting dressed behind her. His back was turned towards her, and his fluffy tail flicked about every now and then. Judy smiled as she ogled him; she had almost forgotten how good he looked in that uniform.

The bunny shook her head to refocus herself. Right now she and Nick needed to get their new evidence to Bogo.

It was obvious to Judy that neither she nor Nick had been able to sleep the past night. With the discovery of the driver's uniform on their coffee table, one could assume that Victor was connected to Mr. Big's death in some way. However, they couldn't just waltz back into the ZPD and present the evidence to Bogo – their temporary leave called for at least a week away from work. Granted, today was only the sixth day, but this kind of discovery couldn't wait _that_ long. The anticipation was a sure-fire way to keep their minds buzzing with the possibilities of what could happen when Bogo finally saw the uniform.

Judy continued to dress herself on autopilot as her mind began to wander. While the excitement of the breakthrough had kept her awake, she still had her nightmares. Though not as powerful as the one from the night before, these dark dreams still managed to keep Judy awake at night, shivering fearfully. She was thankful for Nick's hug earlier, and upon glancing at her badge, Judy felt the rest of her doubts vanish, even if only temporarily.

When Judy finished suiting up, she turned around to find that Nick was fully dressed as well. Together, they carefully retrieved the uniform from their closet. The plastic wrap that they had used to keep any pawprints or other contaminating substances off of the cloth was still intact, much to both mammals' relief. They double-checked the house, making sure that a repeat of the previous day wouldn't happen again, and then the two faces of the ZPD were off to work.

The unmarked car that had been left for Nick and Judy was a sorry reminder of what had happened to their beautiful white convertible. From there, the train of thought carried back to the warehouse. Judy shook her head to dismiss any more thoughts on the matter – she wanted to stay focused on the task at hand.

Nick pulled the small, blue sedan out of the parking lot and onto the street. Due to the early time of day, there wasn't too much traffic, making for an easy commute to work. However, the drive was anything but relaxing as Nick turned on the radio.

 _"There is still no word from Bogo on how he is taking the riots that have started on the front steps of the ZPD and City Hall. However, crowd control units have been dispatched as to make sure that these rioters don't get too violent,"_ came the voice from the news station. Nick changed the channel to another news station.

 _"As far as we know, these protests are due to the controversy that is the attack on Bellwether from two days ago. It's unclear if the mammals rioting are only trying to support Bellwether, or if they have some anti-pred motive. One thing is for certain, though: these rioters are mad,"_ another station declared. Nick tried one more news station.

 _"Luckily, there have been no reports of mammals being hurt during these riots. As far as we can tell, these mammals are, to an extent, peacefully protesting against what happened to Ex-Mayor Dawn Bellwether earlier this week. However, with the attitude that these mammals have, it seems very likely that sooner or later, violence will begin to break out."_

"A large crowd of mammals at the ZPD?" Judy echoed as Nick turned the radio off. She groaned and cupped her face with her paws. "Why today?"

"It's all because of that fox attacking Bellwether," Nick commented, his lips pursed and his ears twitching out of annoyance. "You think they'd be happy to see us, Carrots?"

Judy mumbled something that sounded like an "I don't know" from behind her paws. A crowd of angry mammals was the _last_ thing that she wanted to deal with today. "Do you think we could use the garage to get in?" the bunny asked.

"It's possible, but remember, Chief Bogo has us on leave. That means he may not let us inside unless it's through the front door, seeing as we are a day early," Nick replied.

Judy groaned again, sinking into her chair as to hide away from the rest of the world. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nick's paw reach over to her. The bunny leaned into the touch as Nick began to gently massage her ears. The tension dissipated from her body, and soon Judy was in a mood that was happy enough to survive a little run-in with some angry mammals.

Nick pulled into the ZPD parking lot and opted to take one of the spots further away from the front doors. Sure enough, both Nick and Judy could see a large crowd of colorful shirts, posters, and signs. Judy's sensitive ears could pick up the angry yells from inside the car.

Her mood faltered as all of her doubts came rushing back at full force. What if this wasn't a "peaceful" riot? Would she and Nick get hurt as they tried to make it inside? What if there were hungry predators in that crowd?

Judy quickly shook her head to get rid of that last thought, yet jumped when Nick placed a gentle paw on her shoulder. She calmed down when her eyes met his, and his reassuring smile was comforting.

"You ready, Carrots?" he gently asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Judy took a deep breath and nodded, a smile finding its way onto her muzzle. "You bet, Slick," she answered.

With that, both mammals exited the small sedan and began the anxiety-filled trek to the front steps of the ZPD. The mammalian crowd of color stood in a rather foreboding manner, though everyone's back was turned on the fox and bunny. Nick and Judy passed multiple parked cars and steadily drew closer to the large police headquarters, both of them building their defenses. While Judy took a bit longer to brace herself, Nick had his emotional walls up in an instant; a habit from his conning days that he could never seem to shake.

Judy instinctively walked closer to Nick as they finally came to the large group of rioters. She felt the fox's arm protectively wrap around her waist in a side hug, giving her the courage to keep onmoving.

"Excuse us, coming through," Nick declared when they found their path blocked. Mammals turned with surprised faces to see who was talking to them, and upon seeing the uniformed fox and bunny, they politely moved out of the way.

"Hey, it's Officers Wilde and Hopps," came one voice that sounded surprised.

"You think that they're gonna be put on Bellwether's case?" whispered another.

"I doubt it," came the dry reply. "They're the ones that put her in prison in the first place."

Judy hugged herself closer to Nick and used his warmth as a sort of protection from the opinions of the outside world. However, even that would fall apart as the two cops finally reached the top of the stairs. A horde of reporters immediately noticed the uniformed fox and bunny and just as quickly began to swarm them. Brilliant bursts of light attacked Judy's eyes from all directions, temporarily blinding the bunny with incoherent shapes and black dots. She stayed as close to Nick as possible, but even then the reporters seemed bent on tearing them apart as dozens of microphones were shoved into their faces.

Question after rapid-fire question was shouted at the same time, creating a conglomeration of noises that pained Judy's sensitive ears. The camera flashes continued to blind Judy, leaving her with bits and pieces of her surroundings. Faces of the different reporters appeared for a split second before morphing into the white nothingness that encompassed the bunny's vision, and more than once did she see what distinctly looked like fangs.

The mass of mammals closed in, further crushing Judy while pulling her away from her fox. Microphone after microphone was shoved into the bunny's face, and incoherent questions overlapped each other. The fangs reappeared with every camera flash, becoming clearer with each instance. Judy began to hyperventilate as the reporters closed in around her. Nick was nowhere to be seen.

Flashes of light brought the fangs into clear focus, but Judy's mind added the rest. Gideon Grey stood before her, his claws raised and poised for attack. The noise that encompassed the bunny began to morph and change until it sounded like the bully was mocking and laughing at her. Judy tried to run, but wherever she went to move, something poked her face and kept her from leaving.

Despite the pain in her eyes, Judy looked up at Gideon as he brought his claws down to strike her. The bunny screwed her eyes shut as she braced herself for the scratch that never came. Instead, she felt a paw gently land on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. Judy hesitated, but opened her eyes to find Nick gazing at her with concern in his emerald eyes.

Everything slowly returned to normal as Nick's presence calmed the bunny down, though the reporters continued to make their presence known with more questions, flashes of light, and microphone shoving. Just as the fox opened his mouth to ask how Judy was doing, the front doors of the ZPD practically exploded off of their hinges.

"WILDE! HOPPS!" came a bone-rattling bellow that startled every single mammal there into silence. Slowly, Nick and Judy turned towards the front door to see an irate Bogo glaring at them. The buffalo wordlessly ordered them inside and had them follow him to his office. Not a word was said as they walked through the spacious lobby.

Nick and Judy took the opportunity to drink in a sight that had become all too familiar over the last three years. The incredibly high ceiling, the multi-level walkways, the front desk with the energetic, chubby cheetah; it was all still there, yet the very air felt different. Gone was the sense of excitement and purpose that Judy typically felt when she walked through the front doors. All of her fellow co-workers seemed more serious than before – hardly a joke could be heard among any conversation. Even Clawhauser wasn't his usual, enthusiastic self.

It was evident that the attack on Bellwether had left a tremendous impact on the city, and the ZPD was now trying to patch it up. Judy felt a rush of determination swell through her as thoughts of how she and Nick could help swam in her mind. The bunny was jerked from her thoughts when they entered the office, and Bogo slammed the door shut behind him.

As Nick and Judy took the seat across from the desk, they studied the cape buffalo. His fur was ruffled in various places, giving him the appearance of being sleep-deprived. His eyes were on the verge of being bloodshot, and his uniform was wrinkled. All in all, the stoic leader of the ZPD looked _tired_.

"I hope you can forgive my yelling at you earlier," Bogo began as he took his seat. "It was the only thing I could think of to get you away from all those mammals without too much trouble."

"Well, sir, it worked," Nick stated with a ghost of a smirk. His tone then became sincere. "We appreciate it. I'm not sure how much longer I could've survived out there, let alone Officer Hopps here."

Bogo gave a small nod before leaning forward, his arms resting on his desk. "That brings me to my next question: why are you two here? As I recall, I gave you _at least_ a week's leave with orders not to return here until then." While the buffalo didn't look mad, his tone was still vaguely threatening.

It was Judy who spoke up this time. "Well sir, we had gone for a walk last night, and when we came back, we found that someone had broken into our apartment and left something for us." Nick revealed the plastic-wrapped uniform and placed it on the desk.

"I'd be careful opening that," the fox cautioned as Bogo made a move towards the object. "We've tried to keep it in pristine condition in case any identifiable samples could be found: fur, skin, a pawprint, stuff like that."

The buffalo shot a curious glare at the fox but heeded the advice. Nick and Judy watched with apprehension as the chief slowly and carefully peeled the plastic wrap off of the uniform. However, his reaction was not what they expected. Chief Bogo blankly stared at the driver's suit – he said nothing, did nothing, revealed nothing of what he was thinking at that moment.

Finally, after what felt like hours of painful silence, the cape buffalo spoke up. "What is this supposed to be?"

"Sir, the night before Mr. Big's limo crashed, Officer Hopps and I had gone for a walk before I was jumped by three drunk mammals. In my effort to make sure Judy was safe, I managed to get roughed up pretty badly." Judy inwardly winced at the lie, but said nothing. "Thankfully, Mr. Big's limos pulled up before anyone could get severely hurt. The shrew offered us a ride home."

"This better have a point, Wilde," Bogo snapped, though his face was still expressionless.

Nick nodded. "Don't worry sir, it does. You see, his driver is usually a jaguar named Mr. Manchas – the very same mammal that had gone savage about three years ago. However, the driver was a fox. Generally, I wouldn't find that suspicious if this uniform hadn't appeared on our coffee table two days later with this note." The fox pulled the slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it over to the chief.

Judy watched as this happened, and she couldn't help but remember how the message on the note made her feel. "So close, yet so far. Keep trying – V." That was what was written on the slip of paper. It was a simple message that held a complex meaning – the only information that Judy felt was certain was that this was from Victor Wilde.

Silence once again fell over the office as Bogo pulled out his glasses and quietly muttered to himself as he read over the note. When he was finished, he set the note down, sighed, and looked back at the two officers sharing the one chair in front of him. "Am I supposed to know what this means?" he asked.

Nick looked a little disappointed with Bogo's reaction, but quickly suppressed it. "Well, no, sir, not really. To be honest, Hopps and I still aren't one-hundred-percent sure if we completely understand what it means. However, our theory is that Victor Wilde was the one driving the limo that night and had Mr. Big killed. They never found the body of the driver at the crash, and so it's the most plausible explanation."

Bogo glanced between the two officers who were avidly awaiting his response. He could tell that they both were rather eager to get put back on this case, though the exact reason was a lot harder to deduce. While Nick seemed relatively okay, Judy's bubbly yet professional attitude was replaced with a tired and emotionally drained one. However, they both seemed adamant on finding Victor and bringing him down.

Another sigh escaped Bogo's lips. "I will have some officers look into this," he finally answered after picking his words carefully. Just as Nick and Judy opened their mouths to protest, the buffalo held up a hoof to silence them. "Look, I understand that you wanted to be put on this case. Heck, I probably would let you, too, if weren't for the fact that Victor is dangerous. He managed to have you two kidnapped and practically tortured, and if what you're saying about Mr. Big is true, then it's highly likely that Victor has some sort of control over the shrew's assets now. Heck, he even knows where you two live!"

Bogo watched as chagrined expressions crept over the two officers' faces. "For now, the threat put on you two is too high to put you on this case. Victor would know if you were on his trail as soon as you two started investigating, and who knows to what lengths he would go to stop you. I just can't take that risk. However, I'm not just going to make you guys go home, seeing as you wanted to come back to work so badly.

"As you can probably already tell, the attack on Bellwether has had quite a few negative repercussions," the chief began as he pinched the bridge of his snout. "I will admit that the crowd outside is one of the _tamer_ gatherings throughout the city. All of these riots have been keeping my officers busy, leaving me with only a handful of them at a time. So, I'm going to place you two on a sort of riot control until further notice. You'll be taking care of the milder gatherings due to circumstances I'm sure I don't need to repeat. Am I clear?"

Nick and Judy, though disappointed that they weren't put on the Victor Wilde case, were happy enough to just be back on the force. They nodded in affirmation.

"Good," Bogo stated as he leaned back in his chair. "Officer Hopps, you're dismissed. Officer Wilde, if you would wait a moment, I'd like to have a word with you in private." Upon seeing the worried glance from the bunny, a small smile stretched across the buffalo's lips. "Don't worry, Officer Hopps, he's not in trouble. He will be if you don't get out of my office, though."

As embarrassment crept up her cheeks, Judy quickly excused herself and shut the door behind her. She was tempted to stand outside and use her sensitive hearing to eavesdrop on the conversation but soon thought the better of it. No need to get the chief angry right now, was there? With no small amount of anxiety, Judy made her way to the office that she shared with Nick, making sure to stop by and chat with Clawhauser.

* * *

"You want to _what!?_ " Bogo repeated, an incredulous look on his face.

Nick stared back at the buffalo with an emotionless expression. "I'm pretty sure I didn't stutter, sir," he quipped.

Bogo leaned back in his chair had loudly exhaled. "I was hoping to avoid this line of action, Officer Wilde."

"I know," the fox replied, "but it can't be helped. It's the only way to keep Judy safe."

"Have you talked to her about this?" Bogo asked, suddenly getting deja vu from about a year ago when Nick had tried to quit the force. It felt no different than what was going on at this very moment.

"No, and she can't know. Not right now, at least." Nick answered. What he said made sense, but it wasn't clear if he was comfortable with what he was suggesting. Bogo shot a hard glare at the fox, hoping to find some crack or weakness in his mask of determination. Nick coolly stared back, his emerald eyes shining with a passion that came from wanting to make the world a better place. It was the same fire that was often found in Judy's eyes.

The chief scoffed. "It never fails to amaze me just how similar you and Officer Hopps are, Wilde," he admitted as the ghost of a smile formed on his lips. "But what you plan to do will inevitably harm your wife more than anything. Are you sure you're willing to take that risk?"

It was a rare sight to see Nick's mask falter, but Bogo saw it nonetheless. The fox's ears folded back against his head, and his gaze lowered in what could have been shame. "I'm sure it'll hurt the both of us, but the damage won't be _nearly_ as severe if I stay here. It's me that Victor seems to be after, not Judy."

Bogo nodded in understanding. He had been willing to do the same thing for his wife back when they were both on the force. "I hate to say it, but I agree with you on this one. Victor has grown _far_ too dangerous, so the less risk there is to my officers, the better. Take all the time you need to get prepared," he ordered with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

* * *

Judy had decided to fill out some reports to pass the time, but that was after she had tried everything to keep herself occupied while waiting for Nick to come back from Chief Bogo's office. She could've sworn that there was a path engraved into the ground where she had been pacing for a significant portion of the time she had waited. Luckily, she didn't have to get too far into filling out reports when she heard the office door open. Judy spun around in the swivel chair to find a tired-looking, yet optimistic fox enter the room.

For some reason, the bunny felt the need to rush over and embrace Nick in a strong, warm hug. She gave in to that need, and elicited a surprised yelp from the fox as her arms tightly squeezed around his waist. When she loosened her hug, Nick's arms wrapped around her small figure.

"You need to be more careful, Fluff. I'm just a fragile fox," he quipped.

"Fragile, my tail," Judy retorted as she stepped away from Nick to give him some breathing room. "I've seen you in the sparring ring; you've taken more punches than I care to count and _still_ came out on top!"

Nick chuckled as he ruffled the bunny's ears. "True, but when it comes to cute bunnies, my defenses just go kaput."

"You're lucky the office door was closed, or else no one would have let me live that down," Judy stated as she and Nick began to clean up and get ready to go out to do their assigned work.

"Live what down?" Nick asked.

Judy shot a glance over her shoulder, throwing in a little tail twitch just for the fun of it. "You calling me cute," she replied with a knowing gleam in her eye.

She achieved the desired effect: Nick's eyes quickly glancing down at her tail before the fox caught himself and forced his eyes away. "It's true, though," he admitted.

 _Yeah, it's true. A cute bunny is always a tasty snack,_ the dark recesses of Judy's mind teased. Judy's smile faltered as she turned away from Nick, seemingly focusing on her task at hand.

 _Stop it, Judy. He would never look at you like that. You're his_ mate _for crying out loud!_ Judy contended.

 _True, but his biological instincts don't include "bunny" under the "mate" category of his mind. His "food" category, yes, but his instincts just can't comprehend you being anything special to him_ , her mind retorted.

 _That isn't true! If I he thought of me as food, I would have been dead when he went savage!_ Judy shot back.

 _He still bit you. He still hurt you. If it wasn't for the ring luckily catching his eye, you would_ _have been dead. His instincts don't_ naturally _see you as someone important. They need to be reminded, and who's to say you'll have a reminder around to protect you?_

Judy shook her head as she fought back tears. She knew that none of what her mind accused was true, yet why did she feel like she believed it? _It's not true. It's not true. It's not true._ "It's not true," Judy whispered to herself as she felt the first of many tears roll down her cheek.

She suddenly felt something touch her shoulder, sending a rush of fear through her body and making her instinctively jump away. Her heart mercilessly thumped inside of her chest, and her eyes were wide with fear as they scanned the room for any danger. When they fell on Nick, who had his paw held out, it occurred to Judy that _he_ had been the one who had touched her. Guilt quickly replaced the fear she felt, and the tears began to fall.

Nick was there in an instant, protectively wrapped his arms around his bun. Judy habitually huddled against Nick's chest, releasing the pent-up emotions of the past week in the comfort and safety of her husband's warmth.

Judy's ears picked up Nick's voice as he began to verbally soothe her. Flashbacks of three years ago, when she had apologized to him under the bridge, swam through her mind. Gradually, the tears began to dry up, though Judy was starting to grow reluctant of leaving the embrace. It just felt _right_ and safe to be in Nick's arms.

When her tears had finally dried, Nick carefully shifted Judy and him around until he was sitting on the floor and Judy was sitting in his lap. His paws traced lazy circles on her back, and she rested against his chest as she listened to his heartbeat.

"Are you sure that we're really ready to go to work?" Nick asked as he lovingly licked the base of Judy's ear. "Bogo said that if we feel too stressed that we can wait for a couple more days."

Judy sighed. "As tempting as that is, I'm sure I'll go crazy without anything productive to do," she admitted. "Besides, we're getting the mild riots, right? They shouldn't be too bad."

Nick chuckled. "I'd be careful about what you say, Carrots. You may jinx us."

Judy scoffed. "You actually believe that superstition?" she jokingly inquired.

Nick shrugged. "Well, it's happened too many times to deem it a coincidence. It's just better to stay on the side of caution, that's all."

"We can't stay on the side of caution from in here," Judy reluctantly commented. She slowly picked herself up off of Nick, breaking their embrace. After helping Nick stand up, the two cops exited the office, ready to take on the world.

* * *

The world – or namely, Chief Bogo – sent them to one of the many BugaBurgas in Zootopia. Being a more predator-based establishment, the fast food restaurant was a popular pick for the weaker rioters. However, the protests were still large enough to have the restaurants close down, which was bad for business owners and bad for the hungry pred looking for a quick bite to eat.

Nick and Judy pulled into the parking lot and immediately caught sight of the large crowd gathering in front of the establishment. The mammals seemed mild enough, though their loud protests could easily be heard. With a quick glance to each other, the two cops decided that it would be best to park as far from the crowd as possible.

Taking a moment to collect themselves, Nick and Judy exited their vehicle and made their way towards the group. "Hey! C'mon, people, back off!" Nick called out, flashing his badge. Judy took a deep breath as she retrieved her own badge and followed suit.

Heads turned towards the two cops. There were sneers, there were looks of shock, and there were completely indifferent stares as attention was shifted away from the restaurant. At the sight of the uniformed officers, some of the mammals backed off and left – they didn't want any part of going to jail. There were others who calmed down a bit, but still stayed to protest, and then, of course, there were those who became aggravated due to the intervention.

"Seriously, people, I know that Buga Burgers aren't the best thing out there to eat, but that's no reason to get aggressive, right?" Nick chided, putting on his cool, confident mask. "Besides, it's not nice to inconvenience other mammals looking for a quick meal."

"You mean other _predators_ , right?" contended one of the protesters in the crowd. "Like the ones that attacked Bellwether?"

Judy had to keep herself from rolling her eyes while Nick sighed. "No, _not_ like the pred that attacked Bellwether," he answered. "He probably wouldn't be caught _dead_ eating at a place like this."

"You're hysterical, _fox_ ," another protester spat. "I knew it was only a matter of time before the ZPD started getting involved. I'm telling you, something's going on here!"

"Whatever you're thinking isn't true," Judy spoke up, keeping her voice cool and collected. "Besides, the ZPD just wants to make sure that nobody gets hurt – to keep the peace. So if you would kindly disperse and leave this establishment alone, that would be greatly appreciated."

"C'mon, we gave preds a chance after the Night Howler Case, but they always seem to fall back to crime no matter what!" one mammal shouted. "We need to jail them all!"

"Sir, please, if you would just listen to yourself and to what you're saying," Judy began, quickly growing tired of this job. "Not all predators fall back to crime! There are plenty of predators with loving families and jobs that contribute to society. Take my partner here, for example. He's a fox, but he's one of the best cops on the force."

Another rioter snorted. "Yeah right. I bet the Mammal Inclusion Initiative let's smaller mammals pass the Academy with lower scores or something; he's not a _real_ cop!"

"Yeah, he is! He and Officer Hopps have done plenty of things for the city!" cried one mammal. Others soon joined him, and it became apparent to the two cops that things were going to get messy soon.

They whipped out their batons, though both were skeptical of the plastic rod's efficiency at this moment. "Hey, no need to get violent, guys!" Nick exclaimed, still keeping his cool. Judy was struggling to do the same, but still managed it anyways.

A few more mammals left the establishment, sensing that things were going to get bad and not wanting any part of it. By now, only the more extreme of the rioters were left, which was not a good thing for Nick and Judy. These guys would be the hardest to convince to cease and desist.

"Officer Hopps and Wilde are just trying to help the city! Maybe the ZPD is, too!" cried one mammal.

"Sure they are," contended another. "What about that other fox on TV, huh? Isn't _his_ name Wilde, too? Maybe they're just trying to cover something up!"

"Yeah! Besides, Hopps and Wilde nothing but disgusting crossers!" this last insult cut deep into Judy's defenses. A glance to Nick told her that while he seemed unfazed, his posture had tensed up ever so slightly.

"Hey, anyone can be anything and all that jazz," another mammal shot back.

"Besides, who are you to tell others how they should live their lives!?" cried another rioter. At this time, it was too hard for Nick or Judy to see who was speaking as other arguments had begun to break out.

"I'm not doing anything other than just saying what Mother Nature already has. Foxes and bunny are just not meant to be together!" was the retort that was heard over all the ruckus.

Nick and Judy shared a knowing look, but neither mammal was too happy about their decision. They put away their batons and replaced them with tranquilizers. "HEY!" Judy shouted at the top of her lungs. This caught the attention of just about every mammal in the crowd, much to Nick's hidden amusement. Judy made sure to keep her voice calm and collected, as that would have a larger impact than if she acted out of aggression. "If you guys don't cease and desist right now, my partner and I _will_ be forced to use our tranquilizers. So I suggest you leave now, rather than later."

* * *

Nick and Judy counted themselves incredibly lucky. It didn't take long to get the rest of the mammals to disperse after they had both pulled out their tranquilizers, but they didn't have to fire a single shot. They returned to the ZPD with high spirits which bled into the paperwork that had to be done. As soon as they finished, they were able to clock out and head on home.

The idea of getting something eat was brought up in their conversation on their drive back to the apartment, but Judy was more tired than hungry. All she wanted was some rest, relaxation, and cuddles, and she made this clear to Nick as they rode the elevator up to their home.

"What a day, huh?" Nick sighed as he closed the door behind them. Judy could feel his eyes on him as she trudged to the couch and promptly flopped onto the cushions and stared at the ceiling. Her ears picked up the fox's chuckle from the other side of the room.

"It would be a better day if my husband would come join me," Judy called, eliciting another chuckle from Nick.

"Okay, but are you sure that you're not hungry for dinner? I can quickly whip something up for us," he suggested as he made his way to the couch. As soon as he was within reach, Judy grabbed his tie and gently pulled him onto the cushions next to her. This silenced Nick, and the two mammals just stared at the ceiling together.

Unsurprisingly, the ceiling was incredibly boring to look at, and to Nick and Judy, the mammal to lying next to them was far more interesting. It did not take long for Judy to find Nick's muzzle buried in the crook of her neck as the fox tenderly traced a path of tender kisses and licks around her collarbone. Nick's paws worked on removing her uniform with Judy's help.

The bunny trailed kisses along Nick's muzzle, though, with his face buried in her neck, it was somewhat difficult. Her paws began to explore his fur, digging past the rough overcoat and getting into the soft fur hidden beneath. She felt a faint growl emanate from Nick and took it for appreciation lest her doubts return and sour her mood. All Judy wanted was to get lost in the moment and not deal with reality.

 _You're just using him,_ came the voice that Judy was dreading.

 _No, I'm not,_ Judy retorted. Her anger at the sudden appearance of her damaged psyche bled into her actions – the paws that had been lazily running through Nick's fur became a bit more aggressive.

 _Yes, you are. Anytime things have been getting tough, you resort to screwing your husband. It's the only thing that can keep you from getting too scared of him,_ said the voice in a chiding tone. _But you can't keep running from your feelings, Judy. Take it from Nick – keeping stuff bottled up is unhealthy._

 _It's not unhealthy when it's the only thing that can help me keep him!_ Judy nearly screamed out loud. Her paws now violently pulled on Nick's fur, and the fox yelped in pain. This immediately caught the bunny's attention, and guilt began to seep through her body as she slowly took her paws off of Nick.

"I-I'm sorry," she quietly muttered as if in shock. Her nose twitched violently, her eyes were wide and on the verge of tears, and her heart beat a tattoo against her chest.

Nick carefully rubbed his paw over the injured patch of fur, but otherwise did not look angry. "It's alright, Carrots," he admitted with a small smile. "I've been feeling a bit pent-up as well. However, I think we should have some dinner first, or else this mid-thirties body wouldn't be able to survive the night." As he lifted himself off of the couch, he gave Judy a wink.

A knock came from the front door, catching both mammals' attentions. Nick's smile faltered a bit as the fox quickly went over a list of possible visitors in his head. When he couldn't find one that was likely enough, he turned to Judy and motioned for her to be quiet.

Nick silently slunk towards the front door, still surprising Judy at how stealthy he could be when he wanted. With bated breath, Judy watched as the fox slowly peeked through the peephole situated in the door. Judy exhaled with relief when she saw Nick relax a bit and open the door.

A male hare in modest clothing – a pair of black denim pants and a gray shirt – stood in the hallway, his paws in his pockets. His fur was a brilliant shade of white that was complemented by the pitch-black stripes on his cheeks and ears. Both Nick and Judy immediately recognized Jack Savage, though it was odd to not see him in a business suit.

"Hi!" he greeted cheerfully, his English accent adding an extra sort of pep to his voice. He glanced behind Nick, and as he noticed Judy lying on the couch, his ears fell back in embarrassment. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Judy watched as Nick followed the hare's gaze and locked eyes with her. The fox quickly turned back to Jack. "No, you're fine. We were about to eat some dinner, actually."

Jack seemed to brighten up at that. "Oh really? That's perfect! You see, and I know this is sort of sudden, but I was wondering if you two would like to come over for dinner? My wife would _love_ to meet you guys, and I would like to still personally thank you for saving my bank."

Nick turned back to Judy, who could see the question in his eyes. The bunny took a moment to think about it. Her train of thought quickly returned to the conversation with her mind earlier, and she figured that going to dinner would be the perfect way to prove herself wrong.

After receiving the nod from Judy, Nick turned back towards the hare. "Yeah, we'll come to dinner. Free food is always nice."

 **So, I'm not 100% happy with this chapter, but after giving it an edit and getting some help from by betas, it has become something incredibly acceptable for me to post. I still feel that the BugaBurga riot and the ending are still a bit weak, so please, let me know what you think in a review!**

 **Don't forget, I also have a Tumblr under the name Blenderguy15 where I will hopefully post more stuff later in the future, and my YouTube Channel (also Blenderguy15) holds my Fanfiction-based videos and animations. Go check them out if you want!**

 **Finally, if this has gotten a bit too dark for you, never fear! I have just the remedy: A Fluffy Fic A Day Keeps the Boredom Away! It's a one-shot collection filled with nothing but happiness, fluff, and WildeHopps of (almost) all calibers, so go give it a read if you need something to cheer you up. I'm also taking requests for it, so** **PM** **me any ideas that you may have! (reviews will NOT be taken into consideration whatsoever unless it is a** _ **guest**_ **review!)**

 **I hope you're all having a great December as I get the ball rolling again; I know I am!**


	16. Alliance

**Alright, so no real warning except that this chapter may be a bit slow and filled with a lot of story. Strap yourselves in for yet another layer to Victor's complex character!**

After changing out of their police uniforms and into something comfortable, Nick and Judy followed the uniquely patterned hare through the halls of the complex in fragile silence. While she had no idea what her husband was thinking, Judy couldn't stop thinking of what her mind had told her earlier – of how she repeatedly used Nick as an escape whenever things got tough. The idea drove a spike of guilt through the bunny, souring her mood quite a bit.

The trio of mammals entered the elevator, and the silence was broken by the catchy tune that gently played over the speakers. Jack Savage's foot tapped along, but Nick and Judy had grown oblivious to it after living here for about a year. The lack of conversation reached a near-awkward state by the time the elevator made it to the lobby, so when the trio passed by the front desk, Judy made sure to greet Stacy with a short "Hello" and "Goodbye."

Cold air greeted the three mammals as they exited the complex. Nick instinctively wrapped his arm around Judy's shoulder as the bunny snuggled against the fox for warmth. It didn't take long to find the vehicle that belonged to Jack as it was the only limo half-parked in the lot. The black and white hare opened the door and beckoned the two cops inside before entering the sleek, black car himself. All three mammals sighed in unison as the heated interior staved off the bitter chill of the evening.

Jack knocked on the wall separating the driver from the passenger. "Take it away, Graham!" he cheerfully called. A moment later, the limousine began to pull out of the parking lot and onto the street.

Another silence fell upon the group, but this one was painfully awkward. Judy didn't feel up to doing anything else except leaning into Nick's embrace, and Nick seemed content with his current situation. Jack glanced between the two mammals, studying the many signs of the rough experiences that these two have been through. He couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, despite not having anything to do with the attacks against them.

The striped hare cleared his throat, grabbing the cops' attention. "Again, thanks for deciding to come along," Jack happily stated as a grin spread across his features. "It really does mean a lot to me."

"It's our pleasure," Nick responded with a sort of formality that was odd to Judy. "Besides, we're not one to pass up free food!" Judy smiled; _there_ was the cool, confident Nick response she was expecting.

Jack chuckled. "You'd be a fool otherwise, I guess." He glanced about the interior of the car, seemingly looking for anything that would help him carry on the conversation.

Judy noticed this and decided to help the hare out. "So, I'm curious as to what your wife is like," she commented. "You mentioned her, but I can't help but imagine the stereotypical 'rich mammal's' wife when I think of her."

A hearty laugh escaped the hare's throat. "Yes, I understand how that would be where your mind goes, but don't worry, she's not like that. But she is full of _surprises_ , so prepare yourselves," Jack smiled.

"Speaking of surprises, we didn't expect anyone to visit us just as we got home," Judy commented out loud.

Jack's topaz eyes widened in realization and embarrassment. "Well, why didn't you say anything? I could've come back later and given you two some time to rest!"

Nick chuckled. "I know _I_ was hungry, so I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. I can't speak for Carrots, here," he admitted as he gave Judy an affectionate squeeze.

"I have my reasons," Judy teased playfully, hiding the fact that those reasons were due to a voice in her head. "But thank you for the invitation. It's been forever since Nick and I ever went out to eat, let alone been invited to dinner."

Jack nodded. "You're very welcome," he stated, and the trio of mammals fell silent again.

"So, where do you live?" Nick asked, hoping to keep the awkward silence at bay.

"On the other side of town, in the Meadowlands District," Jack answered with a smile. "I knew my wife would like it there, seeing as she always said it reminded her of Bunnyburrow."

Judy's ears perked as she heard this bit of information. "You're wife's from Bunnyburrow?"

The striped hare nodded. "That is correct. If I remember correctly, you also hail from that town, don't you Mrs. Wilde?"

A faint smile stretched across Nick's lips while Judy – out of slight embarrassment – covered her face with her ears. "Just Judy is fine, you know," she stated, knowing that Nick was probably going to tease her about this later. "And yes, I was born in Bunnyburrow."

Jack clapped his paws together, and a large smile resided on his muzzle. "Excellent! It's such a lovely place, that town; her parents' house, especially. I always look forward to the times where I get to visit with her, but lately, my work has been keeping me busy."

"I wanted to ask you about that," Nick spoke up as he leaned back against the seat. "How did you get to where you are now? And _please_ don't say it's because bunnies are good at multiplying."

Jack gave a hearty laugh at that. "Trust me, I _wish_ it had been that simple. I was lucky enough to have some close ties with the company, earning me a job as an accountant. However, I didn't really climb the ranks, so much as I befriended my predecessor. Our friendship grew to the point where he was comfortable with leaving me the business after he retired." The hare's eyes glazed over somewhat as he began to stare out the window. Judy involuntarily followed his gaze and began to watch the streets of Zootopia go by in colorful blurs.

"It only got harder after that, though," Jack continued solemnly. "There were a lot of mammals who disagreed with my boss's decision, and even more who just didn't like me in general. It took a lot of willpower and determination, but I soon got past all the threats and opposition. I ended up earning that position and the respect of my employees."

"That's quite impressive," Nick commented almost absentmindedly. "It also reminds me of another bunny that I know." He smiled down at the mammal in his arms. Judy looked up into his eyes in time to see the smile falter and his gaze shift away, seemingly remembering something that suddenly soured his mood somewhat. While she noticed it, Judy found it similar to how she had been treating _him_ the past few days; out of a mix of guilt and empathy, Judy gave her husband's waist an affectionate squeeze. She received a quick, acknowledging hum from the fox in return.

Another silence fell over the trio of mammals in the limousine, but no one felt the need or desire to break it. Judy found herself staring out the window again, and she noticed that the scenery had changed considerably. Gone were the bright lights and bustling streets of City Center. Gone were the crowds of mammals going about their evening.

Instead, Judy saw a vast stretch of grassy meadows and top-of-the-line suburbs fly by the car. The Meadowlands was the bunny cop's favorite district; just like Jack's wife, the district reminded her of home. More than once, Judy found herself daydreaming of finding a home with Nick here and raising a family together. It was a dream that she now desperately clung to – one of her too-few lanterns in the darkest of times.

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, leaving purple and pink hues painted across the clouds and sky. Paired with the natural blanket of grass and flora beneath, Judy was – unsurprisingly – reminded of Bunnyburrow. The bunny remembered the first time Nick visited, and how they spent most of every night sitting out under the stars and talking about anything and everything.

The memory seemed to meld with reality for a moment as Judy tucked herself into Nick's side some more. She could feel the cool breeze on her face, see the twinkling stars above, and feel her best friend's heartbeat against her cheek. Judy felt safe and content, and everything from the past week was gone. There was no kidnapping, there was no torture; no constant doubts were nagging away at her mind. Pure rest finally came to Judy, and it felt incredible.

And just like that, however, the memories faded. The starry sky and cool breeze were replaced with the interior of Jack's limo and the air conditioning it provided. The soft grass was replaced with expensive faux leather, and the trees faded away, leaving Judy in reality.

The only thing that stayed was her best friend, partner, and spouse by her side, and his heartbeat against her own.

Judy's thought processes paused as she honed in on the sound of that heart. The soft beat had been her lullaby after a night of lovemaking. The warmth had been her comfort in the most trying of times. This vessel carried a love for her that would never diminish, no matter what came between them. Judy found herself growing hopeful as she continued to listen to Nick's heart. The nagging voice in the back of her mind could not reach her now, and for the first time in a while, the bunny felt like she could take on the world again.

A flash of determination rushed through her body as Judy clung to this feeling with all her might. She allowed the hope to settle in her mind and take permanent residence, blocking out her inner demons. Suddenly, the world seemed just a bit brighter – a bit more tolerable. Judy smiled as she continued to listen to Nick's heartbeat.

 _Tonight, after dinner, I'll tell him,_ she thought to herself. Her heart excitedly skipped a beat when she didn't receive a reply.

Finally, Jack's voice gently broke the silence. "We're here," he stated with a smile. Nick and Judy both turned their gazes towards the window where they saw what seemed to be Jack's house. The two cops couldn't help but feel that it was a bit stereotypical, given Jack's occupation, but they were impressed nonetheless.

The house was large enough to accommodate most medium-sized mammals – such as Nick – but larger mammals would have a tough time just fitting through the door. The building itself was very square. Nearly every edge was a strict ninety-degree angle, and the walls at almost every corner were replaced with a large window, revealing the interior. Beautifully designed furniture that Judy couldn't help but call chic decorated the dining and living room – the two spaces that were made visible by the windows. Everything had a specific color scheme, though it was obvious that the most prominent color was white.

The front yard was painstakingly well-kept, too. Golden light from the house spilled out onto the grass, revealing several healthy patches of gorgeous and colorful flora. Small, decorative trees stood in front of the house at regular intervals, their buds' sweet fragrance carried by the wind. There was something very familiar about the scent that Judy couldn't place, though her mind wasn't trying all too hard. To top off the "look" of the house, a small cobblestone path led from the driveway to the front door.

After parking the limo on the long stretch of concrete that was the driveway, Graham – the driver – exited the vehicle and opened the door for the three passengers. "Thank you, Graham," Jack kindly stated as he hopped out of the car. Nick and Judy followed suit, making sure to put on their friendliest smiles for the jackrabbit, who ended up genuinely smiling back.

As soon as the trio of mammals were out of earshot, Graham retrieved a phone from his pocket and dialed the number without so much as looking at the screen – he had done this too many times to count. The call picked up on the first ring.

"Victor here," came the voice.

Graham frowned; the fox sounded drunk again. "It's Graham. You alright, Vic?" the buck asked, his faint Scottish accent laced with concern.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Victor replied in a somewhat slurred voice. The jackrabbit could tell that his boss was lying. However, against his better judgment, he decided to not press further.

"If you say so," Graham mumbled before getting back on topic. "I have news."

"Is it the good kind?" came the fox's question.

Despite not being in his boss's presence, the jackrabbit couldn't help but nod. "Yes. I just finished driving your old pal Jack Savage home, and guess who he brought with him."

The pause that Graham received in response was all he needed to know that Victor was going to be in a good mood. "Nick and Judy?" came the hopeful inquiry.

A broad smile crept over the jackrabbit's lips. "You betcha! He's having them over for dinner, just like you predicted."

Victor chuckled, and his being drunk slurred the sound somewhat. "Perfect! This is _just_ what we needed!"

"So, uh, what do you want me to do now?" Graham asked, leaning against the hood of the limo.

"I want you to do your job," came Victor's reply. "Nick and Judy are going to need a ride home later, aren't they? Besides, Jack may not know it, but whatever goes on tonight is critical to my plans. I need you to make sure that everything goes alright – no drunk bigots or vengeful criminals, got it?"

Again, Graham gave an unnecessary nod. "You got it, Boss," he affirmed. As a sudden thought entered his mind, a frown crept over the jackrabbit's muzzle. "Uh, if I may?" Victor gave an affirmative grunt. "Why are you bringing Jack back into this? I though you two promised to never speak again after you first started this whole gang business way back when," the jackrabbit inquired.

"Yeah, well, some promises you just can't keep," Victor muttered – had it not been for Graham's great sense of hearing, he probably wouldn't have heard it. Suddenly, a loud scream rang out from the front of Savage's house, startling the jackrabbit enough to almost drop the radio. "What the hell was that?" Victor asked, sounding just as spooked.

After taking a few moments to recover, Graham realized exactly what had happened. A bright smile crept over his features as he brought the radio up to his muzzle. "I do believe that Nick and Judy have just met Jessica."

* * *

" _Jessica!?_ " Judy shouted in disbelief. Standing in the doorway of Jack Savage's house was a bunny with dark brown fur; a splash of cream on her muzzle, neck, and paws; and sparkling, hazel eyes. She was about an inch taller than Judy and wore a loose, long-sleeved shirt and jeans – she and Jack didn't dress like Judy thought multimillionaires would.

"Judy!" Jessica cried out, immediately embracing the bunny cop with a warm hug. "Oh my god, it's been so long!"

"I know, right?" Judy agreed. Her muzzle was split in a wide smile that showed no signs of leaving anytime soon.

Nick inched over towards Jack, who had stepped back to watch the show. "So, our wives know each other," the fox simply stated, his eyes refusing to leave the commotion before him. His deducing skills kicked in, and he realized the answer before Jack had even opened his mouth to reply.

"I'd be surprised if they didn't. You see, Jessica is a Hopps," Jack commented with a smile. "If I remember what Jess said to me the other day correctly, these two aren't from the same litter, but grew close enough to be so. Jessica's older by quite a few years."

"Yeah, he's my husband," Nick heard Judy say, drawing his attention away from his musings and back towards reality. He saw the brown bunny turn towards him with a smile.

"Nick, right?" she asked, holding out her paw.

Judy watched as Nick put on his friendliest smirk. "That's my name; don't wear it out," he joked as he reached for Jessica's paw. Judy couldn't suppress the giggle that erupted from her throat when her sister suddenly charged Nick and embraced him tightly, taking the fox by surprise.

After a few moments, Jessica released her grip on Nick and stepped back, smiling all the time. "There. Now I've officially met the fox who stole my sister's heart," she triumphantly stated before turning back to Judy. "How'd you ever manage to land this guy?" Jessica teased as she jerked her thumb in Nick's direction.

"It's a _long_ story," Judy played along, rolling her eyes.

"Perfect. I like a good story, and we've got plenty of time tonight. Don't we, Jack?" the brown bunny asked, turning towards her husband.

Jack smiled and nodded. "Just remember to give me some time to talk about what I planned."

Jessica nodded before grabbing Judy's paw and leading her sister into the house. Nick and Jack remained rooted to the spot for a few moments longer. The hare eventually turned towards the fox with an amused expression on his face.

"So," Nick spoke up, breaking the silence.

"So," Jack repeated, still smiling at what had just transpired a few moments ago.

"I can see why you kept this a surprise," Nick continued. "Had Judy known earlier, she probably would never stop rambling about how awesome – or terrible, depending on the situation – her sister was until we finally come over and met her."

Jack nodded and turned back towards the house. The aroma of dinner was beginning to waft out the open door, reaching the noses of the two males. "Do you want to head inside?" the hare asked, jerking his thumb towards the front door.

"Yes. Yes I do," Nick replied, and the two males entered the house. They passed through a hallway that Nick could only describe as modernly decorated, what with the thin trees in cubed pots and abstract paintings that – in Nick's opinion – weren't worth the money hung along the walls. The lights above painted the corridor in a warm, friendly light that welcomed all guests to the home of Jack and Jessica Savage.

The floor plan of the house was simple. Jack and Nick exited the front hallway, bringing them to the living room. The kitchen and a dining space opened up to the right, and another hallway led to what could be bedrooms on the left. A large, glass, sliding door stood on the far wall, revealing a beautiful view of the backyard. There was a fireplace in the far left corner of the room, its brick mantelpiece one of the only large splashes of color in the prominently white interior.

Among the white sofas situated in the middle of the room sat Judy and Jessica, avidly chatting away. Upon seeing a hint of red enter her peripherals, Judy turned to see her husband standing with Jack. A smile broke out over her face, and she beckoned the two males to come and join the conversation. Jessica followed suit, and soon all four mammals sat together in the living room.

"This is a nice place you got," Nick stated as his eyes traveled around the room, drinking it all in.

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, well, it still doesn't feel quite right. Jessica and I are working towards building our own house here. That way, we would have the necessary permissions to build a burrow when we wanted to have kits."

"Which we will," Jessica sternly reminded, eliciting another chuckle from the hare.

Judy noticed a grin creep across Nick's features. "Yeah, she's a Hopps alright. Judy's just as stubborn with plenty of other topics."

"You're darn right I am!" Judy admitted, though she was unable to suppress the smile that betrayed her. "One of us has got to make sure things get done around here!"

Nick gestured towards his bunny with his paw. "I rest my case," he teasingly stated.

"So, Judy was telling me about how you guys met," Jessica began, a curious gleam in her eye. Jack seemed interested too, for he placed his full attention on the two cops sitting across from him.

The fox and bunny glanced at each other, communicating through more than just words. Nick turned back towards the two rabbits across from him. "You guys know how Carrots and I solved the Night Howler Case, right?"

Jack and Jessica nodded. "Definitely. It was plastered all over the news," the brown bunny said.

"Well, it was because of that case that I had to spend forty-eight hours with this guy," Judy spoke up, jerking her thumb in Nick's direction.

Nick scoffed. "Hey, _you're_ the one who forced me into it," he exclaimed before breaking out into a teasing smile.

Judy hesitated before smiling back. Nick had sounded genuinely ticked off, but she couldn't tell if it was just another act. "Anyway, I wouldn't have _forced_ him –" she shot a quick side-glance at her husband, who nodded in mock approval, "– had I not run into him at an ice cream parlor the day before.

"And that's basically it from there," Nick stated with a bit of nonchalance. "After the case, I went to the Academy, graduated, and became her partner."

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Jessica gushed, placing her paws over her heart. Then her attitude changed on a dime. "Come on, don't you have any _juicy_ details? Your first kiss, what it was like having a crush on the other before you got together – I need to know!" she teased.

Judy laughed. "You would like to know that stuff, wouldn't you? Well, you're not gonna hear it – not just yet. You guys have to tell us _your_ story." Nick nodded in agreement.

Just as Jessica opened her mouth to speak, Jack placed a gentle paw on her shoulder. "Now Jess, remember: the _short_ version."

Nick and Judy couldn't help but snicker at Jessica's feigned offense. However, just as the brown bunny opened her mouth to respond, a shrill beeping erupted from the kitchen, gently startling all four mammals in the living room. "That would be dinner," Jessica preemptively answered as she stood up from the couch. "Jack, why don't you guys go take a seat at the table. We can finish this conversation there."

A low grumbling emanated from both Nick's and Judy's stomachs, betraying their agreement with this course of action. Jack chuckled as he led the two cops away from the couches and towards the kitchen. As they got closer, Judy got a better look at the dining table. It looked just as "modern" as the rest of the house: sharp edges, simple shape, monochromatic design. The black pseudo-wood of the table matched the chairs, which were slightly more impressive. Little dials sat on the sides of the seat, and upon closer observation, it became clear that these were used to control the size of the chair.

Jack noticed Judy's curious scrutinizing of the furniture and smiled. "Impressive, isn't it?" he asked, drawing the bunny cop's attention. "Jess and I got these from Itreea. We can comfortably host just about any medium-sized mammal here, and should we have kits, the table is able to extend."

Judy gave a thoughtful hum and approving nod – it really was impressive. She and Nick took their seats next to each other, and Jack went to see if Jessica needed any help with dinner. The powerfully delicious aroma that wafted from the kitchen began to make Judy's mouth water. Glancing at Nick, the bunny could only wonder how he was faring with the scent of food.

Moments later, Jack and Jessica returned with the food. A large, rectangular pan was placed in the middle of the table, followed by a bowl on one side and a pitcher on the other. Hungry amethyst and emerald eyes fell upon the contents of the pan, and stomachs growled in approval. A light steam billowed from a hearty lasagna, the source of the intoxicating aroma. The bowl contained an appetizing garden salad, complete with a small assortment of different dressings to choose from.

"What's in the pitcher?" Judy asked as the Savages took their seats across from her and Nick.

Jessica gave a broad grin. "I made your favorite: lemonade with just a hint of blueberry."

Judy's eyes went wide with surprise and joy, and her ears stood erect as if to make sure she had heard correctly. "You're serious?" she asked, hope heavily laced in her voice.

Her sister chuckled. "See for yourself," Jessica stated, gesturing towards the pitcher.

Judy quickly reached for the lemonade and poured some into her cup. Without hesitation, she poured some into Nick's cup too, blurting something that sounded like "You've _got_ to try this" as she did so. Once she and her husband were situated, Judy brought the glass to her lips and took a large sip. While she accidentally downed half of her glass, she didn't regret it – it _was_ the blueberry lemonade, and it tasted just as good as it did when she was younger.

Nick had taken a drink as well, but it was considerably smaller than Judy's. His eyes slightly widened as he smacked his lips. "This is really good," he admitted before taking another drink.

"I told you!" Judy exclaimed, already pouring herself a second glass.

Jessica couldn't contain her laughter. "I'd say it's strange to see that the city hasn't changed you, Judy, but to be honest, I'm not all that surprised. You hardly let anything change your mind when you were younger, and I'm sure that you're still like that today."

Judy was too busy guzzling her lemonade to make a verbal response, but she showed her appreciation of her sister's comment by giving a thankful nod.

"You made this for her when you guys were younger?" Nick asked, sounding a touch jealous that he wasn't as lucky as to have this beverage in his life until now.

The brown bunny smiled. "That's right. It was her favorite after-school drink. Being older, I sort of made it my job to take care of her growing up – I helped her with her homework, I played cops and robbers with her, and I tried my best to be accepting of her dream to be a cop, despite not wholeheartedly agreeing with it myself."

"You were easily my favorite older sister," Judy admitted, bashfully smiling from behind her cup.

"Good! It's hard to compete with so many other siblings and whatnot," Jessica joked, and the two sisters chuckled. Suddenly, the brown bunny seemed to remember that dinner was cooked and sitting on the table. "Oh, well, the food's ready. Dig in!"

Nick didn't need to be told twice as he immediately reached for the spatula that sat next to the lasagna. He divvied out a portion for him and shuttled it onto his plate before turning his sights to the salad. After retrieving a sizable serving of greens, he poured generous amounts of dressing on top, much to Judy's amusement. It was rare to see Nick so hungry, but always entertaining.

Soon after the seemingly starved fox, the others dished out their food. Jack, being a gentlemammal, served his wife first before getting his own meal, and even before that did he offer to get Judy's. The bunny cop had politely declined, opting to wait until after Jack had gotten his food. A few moments of silence passed as the four mammals worked on filling their bellies enough to enjoy a conversation.

Unsurprisingly, Nick was the first to take a break from eating and start the conversation. "So, I'm still curious as to how you two met," he said before politely digging back into his food.

Jessica and Jack took a few moments before answering, seeing as they still had some lasagna in their mouths. Jessica was the first to speak up. "Well, in my senior year of high school, my class went on a special field trip to Zootopia. Well, more specifically, to one of the colleges of Zootopia – UZ, University of Zootopia."

"Today, it's still one of the most original names for a college that I've ever heard," Jack joked, eliciting a small glare from his wife for having interrupted the story. "Sorry, carry on." The hare shrunk in on himself just a bit.

Jessica slowly turned back to the fox and bunny sitting across from her. "Anyway, the tour took us out to the stadium where a track meet was being held. That's where I first _saw_ Jack. He was just standing there with his lean build, his strong legs, his gorgeous fur," the bunny trailed off with a dreamy expression on her face.

With an amused smile, Jack picked up the story from there. "Little side-note, but I was one of the best members of the track team that year. I set a lot of new records during my time there. But back to the story, I eventually noticed the group of high-schoolers standing around and watching us, though I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable they seemed around the predators that were on the field as well. This first struck me as odd, seeing as I hadn't known of how conservative Bunnyburrow was; I _had_ lived in Zootopia all my life.

"There was one mammal in the crowd that stood out from the rest, though. A brown bunny, intently staring at me, yet seemingly comfortable despite there being other predators around. So I walk over, introduce myself with the help of the professor giving the tour, and I get to sort of meet Jessica for the first time."

Jessica shook herself from her daydreaming and continued the story. "After that, I _knew_ that I had to get to know this hare more. So, after I managed to sneak away from the rest of the group, I find Jack and we talk for a bit. It wasn't a very long conversation, but it was enough to tell me that I really liked him and wanted to be his friend. I think you felt the same way, since you gave me your number and all before I snuck back to my group," the bunny added with an inquisitive tone in her voice as she turned to her husband.

"Rest assured, I did feel the same way," Jack admitted with an amused smile on his muzzle. He turned back towards Nick and Judy. "From there, we talked, texted, and MuzzleTimed over the years. Even when I got the job as the accountant and eventually CEO, I never lost contact with Jessica. Our friendship slowly evolved into something more, and we started dating. After she moved to Zootopia to live with me, the rest is history."

"That's the short version?" Nick asked with an almost incredulous tone in his voice.

Jack and Jessica both chuckled. "Yeah, we could _easily_ explain what happened during a lot of our calls or video chats," the brown bunny admitted.

"Well, I think you two are lucky to have each other," Judy stated after finishing off her meal with a sip of lemonade. "What do you do for work, Jessica?"

"I sometimes work as Jack's assistant at the office when Skye can't come in," Jessica answered.

"I'm guessing this Skye is your usual assistant?" Nick asked, turning towards Jack.

The hare nodded. "And close friend. We went to college together," he replied.

From there, the conversation consisted of small talk and quick questions as the four mammals finished eating. Soon enough, every belly was full and content, though Judy still sipped on her lemonade from time to time. The bunny cop made a note to get the recipe from Jessica, seeing as she probably wouldn't be able to survive another day without the sweetly tart beverage now that she had been reintroduced.

Jack cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention and drawing Judy out of her thoughts. "If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to bring up the reason why I invited you here."

Nick quirked an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, it was because you wanted to thank us in person for saving your bank," he stated somewhat dryly.

"Yes, well, that was _one_ reason," the hare confessed. "You see, I have a favor to ask of you."

"What kind of favor?" Judy asked, her husband's faint uneasiness rubbing off on her.

Jack and Jessica glanced at each other, using their eyes to communicate instead of their mouths. A decision seemed to be made as the two rabbits turned back towards the two cops. Jack nervously sighed as he tried to find the right words to say.

"Well, it's sort of, uh, _unorthodox_ for me to ask this of you, but," the hare stuttered.

Jessica groaned and rolled her eyes before taking over for her husband. "He needs your guys' help, alright?" she stated with a somewhat annoyed tone. She then turned to Jack. "See? All you gotta do is spit it out. Sometimes it's _okay_ to be rude, Mr. So Polite That I Can't Properly Function In Society Sometimes."

"You're right," Jack dejectedly agreed. Clearing his throat again, he turned back to Nick and Judy. "How much do you know about Victor Wilde?"

Both cops tensed up at this, caught off guard by the sudden mention of Nick's father and current tormentor. It took a few moments for Nick and Judy to regain their cool, but even when they were fit to answer the question, Judy couldn't help but notice that her husband seemed a bit irritated.

"I know that he owned a tailor shop before it was closed down by the city, and I know that he had to fall back to a life of crime to make end's meet," Nick answered, his tone emotionally dry. This was strange to Judy, who had never heard the fox use this sort of tone before. "I also know that he is currently bent on making Judy's and my life a living hell for no apparent reason."

Judy heard the growl in Nick's voice. Nervous that the fox was getting a bit too worked up, the bunny placed a gentle paw on his arm. Instead of calming him down, however, the act seemed to irritate him more as Nick gently swatted the paw away.

Before Judy could dwell on what had happened for very long, Jack's voice caught her attention. "Well, then I'll spare you the details and get to the point. You see, if it wasn't for your father, I wouldn't be where I am today. My family moved here from the country when I was very young. They were hoping to have an open-minded environment for my siblings and me as we grew up, for they didn't want us to have the conservative mindset that many country bunnies share. However, we soon found that in the city, our finances would be _much_ harder to manage than back home. My parents both worked jobs that kept them away from home all day, and even then, we barely scraped by with the barest of necessities.

"Being alone with my other siblings most of the time, I found myself deep in thought quite often. One day, when I was twelve, my mind suggested that I also find a job to help out my family, so that's what I did. After making sure that my siblings wouldn't tattle on me, I snuck out of the house and began my wonderful journey for some work. Of course, this was all the wish-dream of a naive twelve-year-old – reality is much tougher than that. For the first few days of me sneaking out in the morning and sneaking back in before dinner, I couldn't find anyone who was willing to hire a young hare.

"Then, I found this quaint shop that seemed so snugly tucked away between two tall buildings. The place looked nice enough, and the name made me chuckle: Suitopia. I remember stepping inside, and instead of feeling nervous like I had done with so many establishments before, I felt welcomed despite the fact that no one had come to greet me yet. I was still a bit timid, mind you, so my voice was rather quiet when I called out to see if there was anyone here.

"Moments later, a friendly looking fox entered the room, having just been working in the back. He scanned the room, though his gaze was a bit high at first. When he finally saw me, the smile on his muzzle grew even wider. The fox was your father, Nick, though I do believe that this was well before you were born. Victor asked me what my name was and why I was there, and I felt compelled to tell him my story. I finished by asking for a job, and imagine my surprise when Victor hired me then and there as his personal apprentice!

"For the first week or so, I would sneak out in the morning, go to Suitopia, work, and then sneak back before dinner. Of course, it wasn't long before Victor walked me home and stayed long enough to have a talk with my parents about the whole arrangement. I remember seeing my parents distraught that I had been sneaking out, yet so proud and thankful for what I had managed to do. It was at that time that Victor arranged for my wages to be sent directly to my parents, which was what I had originally wanted at the time. For the next few years, my family and I were able to get back on our feet and have a somewhat normal life.

"And then the city officials came to shut Suitopia down. I cannot remember a more distraught time in my life. The broken look on Victor's face, the police officers' complete disregard for our hard work, the tears that my friends and coworkers shed – I'll never forget it. The only consolation I had after the ordeal was that I was still allowed to remain in contact with most of my fellow employees – including Victor – and that my family was by now at a point where there wouldn't be any financial damage. My parents still felt the emotional blow, however. Here we had moved away from the country to grow more open-minded, only to find that most of the city was as bigoted as the bunnies back 'home.'

"Sadly, my contact with your father slowly faded away, though he never seemed to stop sending my family a little bit of money every now and then. At the time, this was a good sign to me as it was evidence the Victor had found a new job. Only recently did I realize that it was dirty money. Suitopia soon became a sad memory, and my family and I moved on. I went to college, got my degree in Accounting, and set my sights on the Furs Zootopia Bank.

"Now, all of this _does_ have a point. You see, I've found reason to believe that someone's trying to launder money through _my_ bank. Large amounts of money have been deposited via a small business that shouldn't be making as much money as it seems to be doing."

"How much is being deposited?" Judy asked, her curiosity peaked at what the connection between Victor and this money laundering could be.

"What's the name of the business?" Nick asked, seemingly on point with his bunny counterpart.

Jack sighed heavily before turning to Judy. "About five million a month, as far as I can see. However, I've found that I am actually late in noticing it, so the sum could be different than some time ago." He then turned to Nick, and the pained expression in his topaz eyes was clear as day. "The name of the business is Suitopia – the tailor shop that your father used to own."

Before a shocked silence could fall, Jack addressed both cops. "Now, while this gives me plenty of reason to believe that Victor is the one behind this, it's still not enough to bring to the cops for an arrest. However, if a legitimate link was found between your father and this money laundering, then you could finally stop Victor and bring him to justice, or whatever you cops like to say."

Judy could see that part of Nick was excited at the chance to get back at his father, but he still seemed confused about something. "Sure it's not a lot of evidence, but it's still enough to bring to the attention of the ZPD or the IRS. Then they can at least start searching for any suspicious transactions."

Jack nodded, obviously impressed by Nick's dedication to his job over his emotions. "True, but I have the funny feeling that as soon as I get the authorities officially involved, Victor will catch wind of it and get away before anything could be done. I also understand that you two have been kept off the case due to your attachment to your father, but that could be _exactly_ what we need!"

Judy quirked an eyebrow, as did Nick. "How so?" the bunny cop asked, leaning forward on the table as to hear the hare better.

A small smile formed on Jack's muzzle. "You see, if you two started investigating – unofficially – then there's a good chance that Victor won't know until we've already got him. Plus, it'll give you something to help take your mind off of the protests that have started cropping up all over the city."

Jack took a moment to let his words sink in. As he did so, his gaze flicked from Nick to Judy, studying the effect that this newfound information had on them. However, the hare found that both were rather skilled at hiding the full extent of their emotions, for their reactions were greatly suppressed. Judy's nose twitched as she mulled over the recent conversation in her head, and Nick's face was an impassible mask with no crack, if one didn't count the occasional flick of his ear.

"I want you two to remember that this is just a favor; you don't have to say yes if you don't feel up to it. I can easily take this to the authorities, where we would still have a chance of catching Victor with his pants down," Jack stated reassuringly. "Heck, you don't even have to make a decision right now."

Nick and Judy's ears perked up at this, and after a quick glance to each other, they turned to the hare. "We'll sleep on it, and then we'll get back to you soon. Though, you do make an intriguing case, Stripes," Nick joked, though Judy couldn't help but feel that the smirk on his muzzle was forced.

Jack smiled. "Sounds wonderful! I do believe that you have my phone number, should you wish to reach me."

Judy let out a big yawn as she nodded in affirmation. A quick glance to Nick told her that he was probably melting on the inside at the sight, much to her amusement. "Well, it's been a great evening, but I am _tired!_ "

The room filled with the sound of chairs lightly scraping across the floor as the four mammals began to clean up after themselves. Thanks were given all around. Judy and Jessica embraced each other in tight hugs and promised each other that they would stay in touch now that they knew where the other was. While Nick and Jack's goodbye wasn't nearly as intimate, Judy could tell that, given time, the two males could easily get along.

"If it's all the same to you two, I think I'll stay home; Graham will make sure you get to your apartment safely," Jack admitted, looking somewhat tired.

"It's no problem," Nick stated just before he and Judy stepped out the front door. "I was getting tired of looking at your face anyways."

Judy shot him a glare, but Jack laughed it off. "I was under the impression that I was rather good-looking," he contended.

Judy's gaze flicked to the hare as realization hit. "Oh great, a mammal that shares your sense of humor," she groaned in mock despair.

Nick barked out a laugh before giving the bunny an affectionate squeeze. "You know you love it," he teased.

"I'm not talking to you until we get into the limo. You've embarrassed me enough as it is," Judy huffed, though the look she gave Nick betrayed her false anger.

"Ugh, just _kiss_ already!" Jessica cried, suddenly appearing behind Jack as she had recently been cleaning the dishes. She managed to startle Jack, who whipped around to see who was yelling behind him.

Nick chuckled at Jessica's bold humor. "If that's what the people want," he joked as he dipped his head to Judy's face.

Judy, however, placed her finger on Nick's lips, effectively stopping the fox's advance. "Nuh-uh, I'm not gonna give her that satisfaction just yet." She turned back to her sister. "Consider this a lesson. Next time you move into the same town as me, call me up sooner!" she teasingly chided.

While Jessica rolled her eyes, a betraying smile crept over her muzzle. "Methinks that I won't hear the end of this anytime soon, right?"

Judy nodded. "You're darn right," she boasted before dissolving into laughter. "Again, thank you two so much for tonight; we really needed it." The four mammals began to walk towards the limo.

"It was our pleasure," Jack said as he opened the door for the two cops to enter the vehicle. "Thanks for agreeing to come over and listen to my ramblings."

"Yeah, about that," Nick started, leaning forward so that his trademark smirk was visible in the artificial light from the house. "Next time, _we_ get to take up the entire evening talking," he teased.

"As you wish," Jack laughed. "Good night, you two!" With that, he closed the door, and the limo pulled out of the driveway and drove off down the street.

Jack and Jessica watched the sleek, black vehicle disappear around a corner before reentering the house. Once inside, the hare let out a tired sigh as he slumped against the wall. Jessica was there by his side immediately, a look of concern on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked as her eyes searched for any physical damage.

"It's this whole thing with Victor," Jack admitted as he rubbed his temples. "It's quite draining, knowing that an incredibly close friend of yours is not the patron saint you made him out to be."

Jessica gave her husband a small smile. "I'm sure that Nick and Judy will come around and help," she said in a reassuring tone.

Jack found a smile of his own creeping over his muzzle. "If that's true, then Wilde won't know what hit him." He straightened himself and proceeded to the living room, stopping just short of the large glass doors. From the window, the hare could see the gleaming skyscrapers of downtown Zootopia. Jack's paws crept into his pockets before wrapping around a small object concealed in the fabric.

Jessica walked up behind her husband and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, nuzzling her cheek into his. Jack leaned into the touch before turning his attention back to his view. "Alright Victor, I've made my move," he muttered. He pulled his paw out of his pocket and looked at the small wooden chess piece in his palm. It was the knight, its white wood polished to perfection. "Now it's your turn."

 **Hopefully this wasn't too slow for you guys, as I never want to force story points down your throats. However, I had a lot of fun bringing Jack back for a more significant portion of the story. Also, for most of you guys, you'll recognize Jessica from One Hundred Kisses, a one-shot series that Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps came up with and asked me to help with. It was a lot of fun implementing Judy's sister into my own story and change her up, though he and I seem to both think that she deserves to be with Jack! Huh, great minds must really think alike, then.**

 **Also, I'm sorry about this being a few days late. The holidays have been busy for me, and my grandparents came to visit on Friday, so I didn't have any time to make the edits my betas suggested. But it's here now, so that's what matters. Also, I will not update this story this Friday, and probably not until January 1st, seeing as that should give both my betas and I enough time to enjoy our holidays. I will, however, be posting a very special Christmas special for A Fluffy Fic A Day Keeps The Boredom Away** _ **on**_ **Christmas Day, so be prepared for that!**

 **Finally, I'd like to respond to a guest review I got for the previous chapter. To Scout, I'm very glad that you're enjoying my story! By the time I got your review, I hadn't seen Fantastic Beasts, though I** _ **really**_ **wanted to watch it! Lucky for me, my grandparents took me to see it yesterday, and I loved it! I'm not sure if I would make a story of it exclusively, but at best, I may make a small one-shot of Newt and Tina or a Zootopia crossover. However, this would be later in the future, probably around the time the movie is out on Blu-ray so that I can have that immediate access to story resources.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys are all having a wonderful and merry Christmas! Until next time!**


	17. Confessions

**Mandatory darkness warning. Things get serious here, but be prepared for the next chapter. That one is gonna be a doozy! Also, another side-note: Graham, the jackrabbit driver that works for Jack? I have decided that he is voiced by Peter Capaldi – also known as the 13** **th** **Doctor from Doctor Who. Thought his voice fit perfectly with the character!**

The moonlit hills of the Meadowlands flew by in a blur as Judy blankly stared out the window. Despite the heating system of the limo doing its job well, the bunny couldn't help but feel an unpleasant shiver run down her spine as she mulled over the events and new information of the evening. She involuntarily pressed herself up against Nick's said as she did this, and when the fox wrapped his arm around her, a weak sense of calm washed over Judy.

Thanks to the conversation with Jack Savage, the duo now had another layer to add to the complex character that was Victor Wilde. To know that the fox had been the sort of mammal to help those in need in the past wasn't that big of a surprise, however, due to similar conversations with Rachel and Mr. Woolson. What was surprising was how quickly the old fox had seemed to fall deeper into the pit that was the stereotype placed on foxes. Judy felt a pang of sadness in her chest as she felt sorry for the Victor that _could_ have been.

From there, Judy's thoughts turned to the fox she was currently snuggled up against and her feelings towards him. Her resolve to tell him what was going on with her hadn't diminished in the slightest, but the bunny was a bit worried as to the timing. Nick already seemed stressed out enough as it was; adding the knowledge that his own wife was scared of him wouldn't help that condition in the slightest.

Judy huffed. She wanted to confess sooner than later, hoping that such an action could start to help her out of this emotional funk. Memories of before the kidnapping flashed through the bunny's mind, reminding her of what it was like to not have been afraid of Nick – what it was like to feel safe around her fox. Judy desperately wanted those memories to become a reality again, but to do so needed careful preparation and timing.

Tilting her head back, the bunny glanced up at Nick in hopes to decipher what was going on with him. Over three years of being best friends and partners had given Judy quite a list of signs and tells that aided her in reading the fox, but there was still so much to learn about him. Nick's face remained an emotionless mask, revealing nothing of what was going on behind those emerald eyes. However, with how quiet and unfocused he seemed, it wasn't hard for Judy to tell that he _was_ thinking something over.

As Judy huffed again and lowered her gaze away from Nick, she turned towards the window. Instead of the sprawling hills of the Meadowlands like she had expected to see, the bunny was met with the sight of hundreds of different lights and storefronts. They were back in City Center.

"So, uh, where do you live again?" Graham, the driver, spoke up, breaking the two cops' concentration. The jackrabbit glanced at the fox and bunny from his rear-view mirror, his brilliantly blue eyes twinkling with hopeful mischief.

The silence the driver got in response was more awkward than he would have liked, though. With a shaky chuckle, Graham quickly retreated from his tease. "I'm just joshing ya. Don't worry your pretty little heads about a thing."

Nick and Judy decided to ignore the jackrabbit as he turned his attention back to the road. However, neither cop could get their train of thought back on track due to the previous derailment, much to their annoyance. The fox and bunny resorted to staring out either window to keep themselves occupied until they arrived at their destination.

The apartment complex came into view within minutes, though the silence of the car had grown deafening. With a bit more haste than she would have wanted, Judy hopped out of the car and thanked the driver. Nick followed after her, though his pace was a bit more lethargic. Graham tipped his driver's cap to the couple and proceeded to pull the limo out of the parking lot.

Nick had already begun walking into the large building that loomed behind them, eliciting a small bout of surprise from Judy. Jogging to catch up to the fox, Judy fell in step and hesitantly wrapped her paw around her husband's. Nick's body jerked at the sudden contact, startling the bunny. It didn't take long for the fox to realize that Judy had been the one to lightly scare him, and a relieved grin crept over his muzzle. It didn't reach his eyes.

Judy felt a small surge of warmth well up in her when Nick gave her paw a light squeeze, and she felt her hope for tonight soar again. She was determined to talk about the events of this evening, even if she didn't get a chance to reveal to the fox her inner turmoil.

The couple walked past Stacy, who was quietly napping behind a newspaper. The sight brought a smirk to the bunny's face which quickly vanished upon seeing how dead-set Nick was in getting home. The fox's emerald eyes were cold and hard, lacking that distinct charm that Judy so easily found comfort in. His gaze was determinedly set to whatever was directly in front of him, and his lips were set in a thin line. Judy could tell something was going on in his head. Whatever it was, it couldn't be pleasant.

Inside the elevator, Judy contemplated starting _some_ kind of conversation – anything, really - to lighten the mood and tension that had set in ever since their dinner with the Savages. There wasn't much else that Judy could think of, and the bland interior of the small room didn't help, either. Nick kept still and quiet, inadvertently contributing next to nothing to aid the increasingly anxious bunny standing next to him.

Judy gently cursed herself for being unable to think of anything else in regards to the conversation, and the more she dwelt on the possibility of revealing to Nick her state of mind, the more her anxiety grew. She skimmed through all the different, yet completely possible scenarios in her mind, each one worse than the last. Her head pounded with the overwhelming amount of new ideas, and her breathing became shallow as each one was worse than the last.

Her mind refused to bring up any positive outcome of the imminent conversation. Flashes of Nick's look of betrayal at the press conference three years ago dominated her mind's eye, making it hard to focus on anything else.

However, the more she dwelt on it, the greater her desire to come clean grew. The knot in the pit of her stomach became heavier and heavier, sending waves of guilt-induced nausea through the little bunny. Judy was reminded of whenever she had kept a lie from her parents growing up: it only got worse the longer it drew out.

The negative thoughts became images, showcasing the different outcomes in all their twisted glory. There was one of Nick lashing out at the bunny, throwing her deeper into her living hell. Another played through the scenario of the fox hiding away in himself, feeling unloved by his mate. A third, and more sickly result came to mind, telling of Nick forcefully removing his own teeth and claws just to make Judy feel comfortable again.

She didn't even hear the elevator ding, signaling the end of the ascent. Her body working on autopilot, Judy wrapped an arm around Nick's, allowing the fox to essentially lead her to their apartment while she remained preoccupied with her inner machinations. She didn't notice the concerned look the fox sent her way.

Her mind drew her deeper into its cold depths, intent on drowning her in her own doubts and fears. Judy shook her head to clear herself of such thoughts, though the damage had already been done. Images of what Nick could do to himself should she leave him flashed through her mind, taking predominance and completely shutting down the autopilot on her body. She stopped in the middle of the hall, her gentle grip on Nick's arm loosening as the oblivious fox continued walking.

The images all compiled into one garish mural before her mind's eye, its message blatantly obvious. However, Judy refused to believe it. She refused to fall prey to the deep-seated fear that had been a part of her life since childhood. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Judy began to think on the bright side of things, using old memories to counterbalance the doubts. She thought of life with Nick, and all the shenanigans they had gotten into during their time on the force. She thought of her family back in Bunnyburrow, and how they had helped make her into the bunny that she was today, albeit not how they had completely expected. Judy thought of the future she had with her fox – a future she was bent on experiencing.

"Carrots, you alright?" a familiar voice asked with a touch of concern. Judy immediately knew who it belonged to.

Nick. _Her_ Nick.

As in the limo earlier that night, Judy suddenly felt a sense of calm rush over her at the thought of her fox. The rest of the darkness was repelled at the sound of her fox, helping strengthen her resolve and optimism. And if that wasn't enough, Judy was met with Nick's face, concern evident in his features. His paws were on her shoulders, as if waiting to catch her should she suddenly lose her balance. Judy felt an electrifying surge of warmth wash over her as she stared up into the eyes that she knew and loved.

Opening her mouth to answer, a thought popped into Judy's mind, pausing the bunny. She mulled it over, the possibility of revealing to Nick her current mental state. Now that her current state of mind was relatively stable, Judy knew exactly what she wanted to do. "I'm all right," she said, giving her husband a genuine smile. "Though, there is something I would like to talk about with you when we get to our apartment."

Nick seemed to study the bunny, his emerald eyes glancing over her features with scrutiny. Judy couldn't quite tell what was going on in the fox's head, as his concern for his mate took priority. The fact that the bunny didn't know what signs she had given off during her minor episode made her just a little nervous under Nick's watchful gaze.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Nick sighed and let his paws drop to his sides. "Alright, in the apartment then." Judy could hear a faint disappointment in his voice, much to her surprise. She chose not to dwell on it too long, however, as Nick suddenly scooped her into his arms and held her against his chest. The fox smirked down at his bunny, who was overcome by a giggling fit due to the action, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

The couple traversed the rest of the distance to their apartment. Nick struggled to retrieve the keys from his pocket, seeing as he wanted to do so while still holding Judy against him. Eventually, he reluctantly decided to place her back down so his paws could be free. The moment the door to their apartment was open, however, Judy was back in Nick's arms.

The fox carried his mate into the living room, making sure to close the front door behind him. He sat down on the plush cushions before releasing the bunny, who immediately took the seat next to him. However, the two simply stared at each other as a deafening silence grew between them.

Judy could tell that Nick was mulling things over behind those emerald orbs of his, but it seemed that he couldn't put his thoughts into words. The bunny was tempted to take over the conversation from here, but her mind drew up blanks as to how she could start the conversation.

Finally, after countless moments, the fox spoke up again. "Well, what is it?"

This wasn't the question that Judy was expecting. "What?" she asked, hoping for clarification.

"You said you wanted to talk about something," Nick stated. "So, what is it?"

Judy dipped her head in thought, taking a moment to plan through the conversation. Pros and cons were weighed again as the bunny worried about the repercussions that this talk could have in their relationship. Upon glancing at Nick's eyes again, Judy felt a rush of determination, reinvigorating her resolve. No matter the consequences, telling the outright truth would be more beneficial than keeping it hidden. Right?

"Well, I wanted to talk about what happened after," she paused, trying to find the right word while at the same time fighting back horrid flashbacks, " _that_ night. Specifically, what happened to _us_ individually."

Nick looked genuinely shocked. Obviously, this wasn't the conversation he wasn't expecting to have with Judy. The bunny in question, however, plowed right ahead; she was finished with living like this and would do anything to get past it.

"You see, like you, I've started having these panic attacks," Judy continued, keeping her tone serious. "I think about four or five in the past week alone."

"What!?" Nick asked, seemingly surprised by the reveal. "Judy, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

A wave of guilt washed over the bunny. "For the same reason you didn't tell me: I was worried about how you would take it. I see now that I wasn't smart to do that."

Nick sighed and rubbed his temples – the telltale sign that a headache was quickly growing. "Well, _obviously_ , Carrots," the fox stated, seemingly trying to keep the growl out of his voice. "How bad have they been?"

"Nothing too serious," Judy explained, reminding herself of the panic attack that Nick had before they had been picked up by Mr. Big. "Most of the time, it starts with me arguing with my mind about something before it starts getting emotional. I mean, how can you not let someone see that they get to you, when the very thing trying to get to you is yourself?"

"I understand the feeling, Carrots," Nick somberly stated. "If you don't mind my asking, what were your arguments about? It's got to be something serious enough to get you all riled up, right?"

Judy nodded, though no words came to her as the knot of anxiety in her stomach suddenly became too heavy. Butterflies raged about inside of her, sending wave after wave of nausea throughout her body. Judy felt the bile rising in her throat, but she was determined to fight through this. "Yeah, it's serious," Judy affirmed with a sigh. Her gaze flitted away from the fox, suddenly unable to maintain eye contact. Her ears folded back against her head, and the bunny began to nervously wring her paws together.

"Take your time, Carrots," Nick soothed, placing his larger paws on hers.

The warmth of his touch radiated throughout her being, traveling through the bloodstreams and nerve systems to reach every part of her body and mind. The anxiety was replaced with a comfort, and Judy felt her emotional strength return to her.

"I'm not sure how you're going to take this," Judy began, her voice wavering slightly, "but I've got to get this off my chest. It's been eating away at me all week, and I can't take it anymore. Ever since whatever Dallas did to me at that warehouse, all my predator-fearing instincts have been hyperactive. I wasn't lying to you the other night when I said anything sharp startles me, but that was only the half truth. I've been fighting my mind with whether or not I was afraid of you.

"No matter what I said in your defense, my mind came up with another incriminating piece of evidence," Judy felt her resolve slipping as tears began to sting her eyes. Her gaze remained downcast as she hadn't the heart to look at Nick's reaction. "No matter how many times I said I wasn't afraid of you, my mind came around and smacked me in the face with the truth! I don't," she hiccuped as she felt the tears freely falling down her face now, "I don't want to be scared of you Nick, and I know I _shouldn't_ be. It's all these prejudices I grew up with!"

Judy succumbed to her emotions and fell silent as sobs racked her body. She still kept her gaze averted, unable to muster the courage to see how Nick reacted. What kind of friend was she, keeping such feelings a secret? What kind of partner was she, not coming clean with this information? What kind of spouse was she, not harboring enough faith in her other half?

Two warm, strong arms wrapped around Judy's small form and hugged her close. A comforting warmth enveloped the bunny as she sobbed into the chest of her mate, pouring out her week's worth of pent-up emotions. A soothing paw gently stroked her back while another calmly massaged her ears. A kind voice whispered soft nothings, reassuring her that everything was alright.

They stayed like this for a countless amount of time. Judy began to calm down as her worrying gave way to comforting safety – a safety that only came with being in Nick's arms. Gentle kisses peppered the space between her ears, eliciting weak giggles from the bunny. Once she calmed down enough, she returned the favor with a few kisses of her own, trailing along the underside of Nick's long muzzle.

"Thanks for coming clean with this, Judy." Nick's chest rumbled as he spoke, much to Judy's faint amusement. "From now on, though, I want you to be honest with me and tell me when this starts to happen again, okay? I can't help you if you won't let me."

Judy nodded against his chest as waves of relief washed over her, draining the last of her energy. The warm embrace of sleep hugged the edges of her consciousness, softly inviting her.

"Thank you for understanding, Nick," Judy mumbled as her body began to shut down. "It means a lot to me."

The fox gently chuckled as his mate yawned against his chest. "I'm always here for you, Judy. Don't forget that."

Judy picked up on the sad tone in Nick's voice, but decided not to care about it as she felt the fox's lips press against her forehead. Humming happily, the bunny nodded against her mate's chest and slowly slipped into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Nick looked down at the sleeping mammal in his arms. He studied the steady rise and fall of her chest, the faint twitching of her nose, and the way her little tail happily swished about as Judy dreamed. The faint smile on her muzzle was enough to tell Nick that the bunny would have a good night's rest.

With a sigh, the fox carefully picked up his mate and carried her into the bedroom. With practiced moves, he managed to undress the bunny without waking her before undressing himself. Using careful movements and plenty of pauses when he though she was about to wake up, Nick eventually situated himself on the bed next to Judy.

He pulled the covers up and over their bodies, enveloping both mammals in a comforting warmth. The fox gently wrapped his arms and tail around Judy's slumbering form, hoping to fall asleep himself. However, his recent chat with the bunny had left his mind reeling.

 _Of course she would just now tell me about this!_ he thought bitterly. _As if all of this couldn't get any worse!_

Nick sighed and glanced at the sleeping bunny again. Her peaceful expression was too easy to read, though he had gotten enough info from Judy during their conversation. _Oh, Carrots. You can't make any of this easy, can you? You just_ had _to make me start second-guessing myself._

A wave of guilt washed over the fox, but he chose to ignore it as he buried his nose into the crook of Judy's neck. He was rewarded with a gentle hum from the bunny as Judy involuntarily pressed more of herself against his chest. Under normal circumstances, the action would have brought a smile to Nick's face. Now, it just made the guilt stronger. Nick still ignored it, though, as he thought of the plans he had discussed with Chief Bogo the other day.

 _I have no other choice, Carrots. I'm sorry,_ Nick thought as he fell into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

Judy's ear flicked in an irritated manner as she sat in silence, scanning the streets for any sign of riots or protesters. While it helped that her partner, who was currently driving the cruiser and protecting his nocturnal eyes with his trademark pair of sunglasses, was just as focused as she was to find these signs, the lack of conversation was starting to grate on Judy's nerves. Normally, Nick would have cracked the odd joke or two, if only to lighten the mood. Now, however, he seemed to be completely engrossed with the task at hand – a rare sight and something that was _not_ like Nick.

Turning away from the window, Judy studied the fox that sat beside her as she let her mind wander. She had slept peacefully last night – the first time in a while. The dark voice of her mind was locked away, unable to test the bunny's resolve anymore. Ever since she had confessed her episodes to Nick, Judy felt this overwhelming sense of peace wash over her. While she wasn't naive enough to believe that she wouldn't have any more attacks, the thought of Nick being there for her was calming enough.

"Carrots?" Nick's voice derailed Judy's train of thought, drawing the bunny back to reality. Judy noticed that Nick was glancing at her from time to time as he continued to scan the area, doing his job. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I know I'm drop-dead gorgeous, but ogling me while on duty isn't very professional."

Judy shook herself from her stupor as a retort formulated in her mind. "Yeah, you're right. Same goes for you, though." She grinned smugly.

Nick turned towards the bunny, dipping his head enough to look over the top of his sunglasses. "I don't know what you're talking about," he defended, though his lips pulled back into a smug grin of his own.

Judy's smile widened. _There_ was the Nick she knew. "Oh, I think you do! You see, we rabbits have a wider field of view than most other mammals. Meaning, I can see all those sneaky glances you keep giving me from behind your sunglasses," she stated rather happily.

"I know," Nick replied, his smugness still intact. "Why do you think I keep doing it?"

Judy felt a blush creep over her cheeks, but the warmth didn't last long as she glanced at Nick's eyes again. They held none of the smug cheeriness that he was outwardly exuding. This aroused more than just a little suspicion, but just as Judy opened her mouth to ask about how Nick was doing, her partner's attention suddenly snapped to something across the street.

"Carrots, look." Nick pointed to a local shop just down the road. A small group of mammals was crowded around the entrance, all of them angry and growing increasingly violent. Judy felt her fur stand on end as her anger reared its ugly head.

Flicking on the sirens, Nick pulled the cop car over to the shop. A few of the mammals, upon seeing the cruiser heading their way, gave up on the riot and left. The ones that remained all had a defiant air about them, which did not bode well for the two smaller mammals.

Nick and Judy stepped out of the car, their batons and tranq guns at the ready should the protest become too violent. Both cops hoped it wouldn't come to this, as the small crowd of mammals consisted of medium-sized prey: pigs, rams, and the like. The anger radiating off of these civilian rioters was palpable; it even drowned out Judy's rising anger, bringing her to second-guess herself.

Upon glancing at the sign for the establishment, however, Judy felt her anger rise again. It read, "Emmett Otterton's Flowers."

"Good morning!" Nick called out, putting on his friendly cop mask. He absentmindedly swung his baton around with the strap wrapped around a finger, adding to his carefree appearance. Combined with his somewhat-wrinkled uniform and his rolled-up sleeves, he looked more like a slacker and less of a threat. "Now, I know that the prices for a good bouquet can be a bit enraging, but this is ridiculous, guys! I'm sure other stores would be better boycotting targets."

One of the mammals, a rather portly pig who's greasy belly wouldn't fit in his tight, yellow shirt, scoffed. "Well, if you know of any other shops run by a filthy _pred_ , let me know. You guys need to be taught a lesson!"

Judy watched as Nick feigned naive confusion with a tilt of his head. "Oh? What lesson is that, might I ask?"

Again, the obese pig scoffed, the movement causing his grotesque stomach fat to jiggle about. "Where your places are! If them fancy exhibits in the Natural History Museum are anything to go by, we prey mammals evolved before you preds did! So, you have _us_ to thank for your enlightenment. But do I see any of you showin' the proper gratitude?" He placed his hoof on his eyebrows and gazed about the street in an exaggerated manner, emphasizing his point.

Nick chuckled. "Buddy, I'm sure that your idea of things is not how the world works. That's a pretty poor excuse, so give me something more substantial than that. If you can give me a _good_ reason for your little get-together, then I'll leave you be. If not, then I'm gonna have to kindly ask you to vacate the premises under threat of arrest for attempted assault," Nick stated with his clairvoyant professionalism.

"You what!?" the pig screamed in outrage. "You ain't got nothin' on us! We have as much right to be here as anybody!" Out of rising, fear-induced anger, the pig stepped forward and swung a thick hoof at the fox. Even Judy saw the blow coming from a mile away, so she wasn't surprised when Nick deftly side-stepped the fat mammal.

"You didn't let me finish," Nick calmly spoke, though it was obvious to Judy that he was on his last reserves of patience with these guys. "If you don't have a good reason to be here, then I'll have to ask you to leave under threat of arrest for attempted assault of an _officer_."

Judy felt a rush of pride as the pig felt all the color drain from his face. Both knew that the larger mammal had played straight into Nick's hustle. For a bit, the pig stammered as he racked his brain for anything substantial that could satiate the cop and let them enact their "justice."

Both Nick and Judy winced when they saw the lightbulb go off. "I know!" the pig cried as if he had discovered a powerful secret. "The owner of this here shop had been attacked durin' that there Night Howler Case those years back. Who's to say he still doesn't go savage every now and then, huh? We're just here to make sure that he hasn't hurt nobody, that's all."

Judy had to resist the urge to facepalm, though she did take the conversation from here. "Sir, you do realize that the case you're speaking of was closed _three_ years ago, right? Every predator treated with the antidote was tested for about a week to see if there were any side-effects, and there were none. Mr. Otterton will not and is not going savage!"

"Who ran the tests?" the pig asked, unfazed by the facts stacking up against him.

Judy paused a moment as she skimmed her mind for the information. "Dr. Madge Honey, one of the city's best scientists," she answered, standing to her full height to add that extra weight to her words. As a smug grin crept over the pig's snout, however, the bunny grew confused.

"That honey badger?" The pig guffawed, his belly shaking in a way that made Judy gag. "She's a pred, too! Who's to say she didn't lie about the results just to unleash them preds out on the city!? Heck, she even could-ah sabo-ta-jeed those preds on purpose!"

Judy sputtered as she tried to formulate a response that even _this_ imbecile would understand. Luckily, Nick beat her to the punch. "Alright, I've heard enough, sir. I'm gonna have to ask you and your friends to leave, or else you're under arrest."

The pig coldly regarded the fox cop, but after fallen prey to Nick's hustle, he complied and turned to leave. "Fine. I was done wastin' my time around here anyway. Let's go, boys! I'm hungry."

Their incoherent grumbling faded into the distance as Judy gathered her thoughts. Dealing with someone so small-minded took its toll on one's IQ points, that was for sure. As the bunny collected herself, Nick went to radio in the event.

The jingling of a bell caught Judy's attention. Looking up, the bunny was met with Emmett Otterton waddling his way to them. A warm smile found its way onto Judy's muzzle as she accepted the otter's hug.

"Oh, thank you," the florist greeted." I wasn't sure whether or not to call the cops, but now it doesn't look like I have to!"

"No worries, Mr. Otterton," Judy said, feeling that rush of pride that came with helping another mammal. "Just doing our job."

"Of course, of course." The otter's gaze turned to the fox who was returning from the cruiser.

"Alright, Carrots! Got it radioed in. Chief wants us to keep on moving," he said, jerking a thumb back towards the cruiser.

Judy nodded to her partner before turning back to the florist. "I'm sorry we can't stay and chat, but we have work to do. Don't be afraid to call for help if you need it. These riots are getting serious, so the ZPD will be more than willing to come to your aid."

Mr. Otterton nodded. "Of course. Thank you," he repeated before he suddenly grew somber. "Be careful out there, you two. I'm sure with your reputations, things are only gonna get harder for you."

Nick scoffed. "Yeah, tell us something we don't know." His voice sounded bitter and was void of his usual sarcastic tone. It set Judy on edge; she rarely heard Nick use this tone, if at all.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't really help you with that," the otter admitted, glancing between the fox and bunny. "But I can at least pass on some gossip that I heard from my customers."

Judy's ears perked up at this. "Oh?"

Mr. Otterton gave an affirmative nod. "Apparently, whatever that Victor Wilde character is doing, it's affecting the whole city; prey _and_ predator included. If anything, the prey are being riled up because of this, bringing them to lash out at others and try to place the blame on something physical – you know, to be able to take out their anger on it."

Nick harrumphed, seemingly agreeing with the mindset. Judy, on the other hand, quite disliked that idea. "That's terrible!" she all but cried, her gaze flicking to the direction that the rioters had taken when they left. "They're hurting innocent mammals who haven't done _anything_ to deserve this!"

"Like I've told you before, Carrots: that's Zootopia. This is part of the reason why no one gets along," Nick dryly commented, seemingly bored with the situation. He glanced about the street before turning back to the two smaller mammals. "Look, I hate to cut this talk short, but like I said, Bogo wants us back out on the streets as soon as possible.

Judy gave an affirmative, though reluctant, nod. "Right, right." She turned back to the otter. "Remember, if you need any help like this again, don't hesitate to call the ZPD. This is what we're here for."

The florist nodded. "Of course, Officer Hopps. Again, thank you for arriving when you did." He gave the bunny a warm embrace and shook Nick's paw. "You two have a wonderful day now!"

With that, Mr. Otterton waddled back into his shop while Nick and Judy returned to their cruiser. Though the fox remained silent as he pulled the vehicle back onto the street, Judy's mind buzzed with the aftermath of the adrenaline rush and her simmering anger towards the bigoted mammals in this city.

 **I want to take a quick moment and thank my beta, Selaxes, for doing a great job in helping me make this story the best it can be!**

 **Man, it feels great to be back! I had a wonderful break, but now it's time to dive back into the fray and get on with this story. I'm sorry if it feels like it drags on a bit, but don't worry. The next chapter will be well worth the wait. I'm quite happy with how the first portion of this chapter turned out, but not so much with the second portion, especially the ending. But, it's not** _ **that**_ **bad, right?**

 **Oh, that pig from the riot? Imagine Disney's Pete; you know, Mickey's somewhat lovable villain voiced by Jim Cummings. No other voice came to me while writing that, so I went with it.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you next time!**


	18. Turmoil

**We're reaching the end of Act 2 of Family Ties. Buckle up, because it's gonna be a bumpy ride.**

As the day carried on, Judy grew more and more tired. Her mind felt sluggish and had no desire to dwell on any thought for more than a few seconds. Her body soon followed suit, leaving the bunny to feel somewhat lethargic. And to think that she had felt so rested after confessing to Nick the night before!

The silence in the cruiser was almost deafening. Nick remained stoic in his own way, his eyes scanning the roads ahead from behind his reflective sunglasses. His ear twitched every once in a while, the telltale sign that his mind was hard at work. Judy huffed and turned her attention to whatever was out the window. The streets of City Center scrolled past, slightly blurred due to the speed that Nick was driving. Judy was still able to make out the sights of mammals going about their day, minding their own business and seemingly getting along with everyone else.

Unfortunately, Judy knew the latter was a lie.

Sure, there were those mammals who genuinely got along together, no matter the difference in species. But there was no denying that there were those mammals who were – at best – tolerated by everyone else. Either they were too big and "clumsy" in everyone else's mind; they were small, annoying, and always got in the way of someone else's foot; or they were just _off_ enough to make it hard to truthfully enjoy their company. As much as Judy would like to think that she didn't have _these_ prejudices, it was evident even to her that she was guilty of this kind of behavior. Her visit to the DMV three years ago had proved that.

And then, there were those mammals who were outright hated by almost everyone else. Mammals who, no matter how hard they tried to come off on the right foot, just can't seem to get past the "evidence" stacked against them – be it a lifetime of wrongdoings done by another of the same species or a physical appearance that rubs everyone else the wrong way. Even if someone did trust these sorry people, there was still that underlying prejudice. Judy felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over her as she thought back to the press conference where she had let those seemingly buried prejudices hurt Nick.

However, as soon as the guilt had arrived, it was replaced with a sense of satisfying accomplishment and love. Sure, Judy had hurt Nick in the past, but they both got over it while helping each other. Here they were now, three years later and married. The bunny felt a smile creep over her muzzle, and her ears decided to perk up as she glanced at the ring on her paw. Despite the simplicity of the gold band and small amethyst, Judy never wished she had something or someone different. Nick was hers, and she was his.

She turned to the fox beside her, noticing that his demeanor hadn't changed. That would hopefully change as Judy began to think of ways to get Nick back to his usual, chipper self without breaking the rules about public displays of affection while on duty.

The best option that came to the bunny cop was striking up a conversation with her partner; all she had to do from there is come up with a topic. Almost immediately, the talk with Jack Savage from the night before came to mind. Along with that revelation came the fact that neither Judy nor Nick had thought to discuss it last night before falling asleep. Sure it wasn't the happiest of discussions, but the bunny figured that it could be enough to take the fox's mind off of whatever had him down in the dumps.

Finding her resolve, Judy took a deep breath before speaking up. "Nick?" The silence shattered in an almost visible manner as Nick's ear twitched, picking up on the sound of his mate's voice.

Nick glanced at the bunny from behind his sunglasses. "Carrots?" he asked in return, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

Judy noticed this and felt her own smile widen just a bit. "I want to talk to you about something," she stated as she wrung her paws together to give her mind a sort of anchor.

One of Nick's eyebrows raised from behind the sunglasses. "I thought you told me everything last night." The fox sounded somewhat accusatory, as if he already had enough to worry about with her being afraid of his more predatory features.

Judy quickly picked up on this and went on the defensive. "I did! I did!" she replied almost hectically, waving her paws around as if it were helping emphasize her point. "I want to talk about something _else!_ "

Even though she couldn't see his eyes, the bunny was sure that Nick was glancing at her with faint suspicion. He did seem to calm down a bit, and Judy didn't need to wait too long before he came to a decision. "Alright then. What do you want to talk about?"

Judy had to fight back a sigh of relief as her nerves calmed down. The last thing she had wanted to do was to get Nick riled up, after all. "Well, I was hoping we could discuss our thoughts on what Jack told us last night. I know we would've done it before we went to bed had I not been an emotional bunny." She said this with a bit of guilt, which seemed to surprise Nick.

"Carrots, you don't have to apologize for last night. Ever." He turned his head and gave the bunny a genuine smile. "It was eating away at you, and the only way to get over it was to get it off your chest. And to be honest, I'm glad you told me. At the very least, I know that you trust me enough to come clean with it."

Judy felt a rush of pride as Nick spoke. He was right: she _had_ trusted him enough to confess what was going on, despite what the dark – and thankfully absent – voice in her mind said. The bunny suddenly felt a strong need to cuddle up with the fox sitting next to her, but she decided against it. There would be time for that later. "Thanks, Nick. That means a lot to me."

The smile on Nick's muzzle faltered, though he did manage to give Judy a nod. "You're welcome. Now, back to your original question." The fox paused as he seemed to go over his thoughts on the topic. "What exactly do you want to discuss?"

"I guess we can start with whether or not we believe what Jack brought up about your father and the money laundering," Judy reasoned. "From there we could decide if we want to take any actions ourselves or bring it to the police and IRS."

Nick nodded. "Sounds good. You wanna start, or should I?" He glanced at the bunny after quickly scanning the street. They still had a job to do, after all.

Judy placed her paw under her chin as she mulled over the decision. "I think you should start, seeing as he was talking about _your_ father," she answered after a few moments.

The fox nodded in understanding before falling silent, gathering his thoughts together. Judy studied his mannerisms as he did so: the twitch in his ear, the swish of his tail, the way his eyes scanned the road from behind his sunglasses. All of these signs told of an agitated nature about the fox, which worried Judy. She wanted to cheer him up, not make him worse off.

Finally, Nick sighed and pulled the cruiser into a parking lot. Once the vehicle was parked, and the fox's attention could no longer be divided, Nick turned to Judy, removing his sunglasses as he did so. "I don't know what to believe, Carrots. Honestly," he began, sounding incredibly tired. "We have accounts of my dad from my mother, his business partner, and now his 'apprentice' of sorts. All of them say that Victor's a good mammal, but that was in the past. My dad's present actions continually blow those previous images out of the water and replace them with someone who seems too far gone to save.

"I want to believe that my father is still a good mammal. I really do. But with everything that he's doing, I just can't bring myself to trust that, no matter what others have said about him," Nick explained, sighing as he finished. His gaze locked with Judy's as he waited for her opinion on the matter.

He didn't have to wait long. "I feel that way, too," the bunny began. She paused for a second, her eyebrows furrowing together as she desperately tried to remember something important that _should've_ been easy to recall, but yet was always _just_ out of reach. Finally, she grasped the thought. "Do you remember seeing Victor soon after our crash last week? You know, in that medical ward?"

Nick's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "You had that dream too?" he asked.

Judy shook her head. "I don't think it was a dream, to be honest. Sure, my head was a bit fuzzy, but it all felt _too_ real. If that's the case, then, we have an idea of who could have ordered the attack on us."

The bunny felt a shiver of fear roll down her spine when Nick suddenly snarled, his paws clenching into fists. He had turned away from his partner as he now angrily glared out the window, so he missed the telltale frightful twitch of Judy's nose.

Nick looked like he wanted to lash out at anything _but_ his wife. His fur bristled, and his hackles rose. The growl in his throat wanted to be louder, wanted to intimidate others and chase them away from his mate. But it couldn't as the fox began to calm himself, much to Judy's surprised awe. The bunny watched as Nick repeatedly inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide in large quantities while he focused on quelling his anger enough to let his mind have some rational thought.

"Nick, are you okay?" Judy piped up, unsure of what to do. She had never seen Nick so angry, nor had she ever watched him suddenly diminish that anger. It was as frightening as it was impressive.

The fox gave a few nods, waiting for the growl to finally leave his throat before talking. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," he croaked. He took another deep breath. "I just got protective, is all. You know how we foxes are about the safety of our mates and all that." Judy could see how this was meant in a lighthearted manner, what with Nick's weak grin, but both mammals knew that the fox was watering down the truth.

Judy quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and crawled into Nick's lap. Immediately, his arms wrapped around her small frame as his muzzled dipped to kiss between her ears. As soon as he did this, however, his instincts kicked in. He began to groom his bunny, his tongue gently running over the gray fur at the base of her ears. Judy felt a warmer, more pleasant shiver roll down her spine as her fox did this. Not only was it calming to her, but she knew that it helped Nick just as much.

While Nick continued to groom the base of her ears, Judy decided to continue with her original thought. "So, as I was saying, Victor definitely hasn't done anything yet to give us any sort of proof that he was once a good mammal. However, it's hard _not_ to believe that fact thanks to the accounts we've been getting. I think there is an explanation, though."

"Yeah, it's not hard to figure out," Nick stated in between licks. "They all spoke of the shutting down of Suitopia and him either losing contact or finding a new job. Whatever _that_ new job was is what we can blame for his present behavior."

"Right." Judy nodded. "Personally, I believe he ended up like you when we first met. You know, accepting the stereotype and all that. Except, he may have taken it a bit more seriously, but that doesn't change the fact that we _could_ get to him. We _could_ help him change. You know?"

Nick chuckled at the bunny's optimism. The small grin he had on his muzzle didn't reach his eyes. "I sincerely hope you're right, if only to see my dad be moved by a cute little bunny like I had."

Judy smiled and huddled further into the warmth that was her fox. "So, does this mean we believe Jack's story?" she asked as her finger began to draw lazy circles in Nick's uniform.

"I would think so," Nick stated as if it were the obvious choice. "It can't be a coincidence how it coincides with the other accounts we've heard, and that hare feels trustworthy. Of course, his trustworthiness could just be Jessica's cooking talking; that lasagna was _good!_ "

Judy couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, she's quite the cook." She then leaned back to meet Nick's gaze, growing serious despite her desire to stay in the fox's lap and let him groom her. "So we believe Jack's story of Victor. Do we believe his theory on the money laundering?"

Again, the fox fell silent as he mulled over this decision. "That one is a bit harder to answer. Now, it's completely possible that Victor is using money laundering to make his funds 'legal,' but we should consider _why_ he would want that. Why would he use money laundering, where the risks of being caught due to a single mistake are quite high?"

Judy scoured her brain for anything to help her answer this question. It took a few moments, but luckily, something clicked. It fit so well, that Judy immediately snapped her fingers and cried, "That's it!" so suddenly that Nick jerked his head back in surprise. Judy noticed this and heard his heart frantically beating, and a sheepish grin crept over her muzzle. "Sorry about that."

Nick quickly calmed down, giving the bunny a nod to indicate that he was fine. "Anyway, I have an idea," Judy continued, though she made sure to keep her excitement in check. "Remember that bank robbery that we stopped on our anniversary? Those four guys were hired by Victor. He wants to launder his stolen money!"

"While that is a good theory, Carrots," Nick began as the wheels in his head began to turn, "there are still a few holes in it. First off, I don't think those four clowns were working for Victor at that time, so that money wasn't his target to begin with. Secondly, even if it _was_ his target, we stopped the robbery before any money was taken. In that case, Victor never had stolen funds to launder in the first place."

"Right, but _that_ theory also has a few holes in it," Judy shot back in a friendly manner. "Remember, Jack said he didn't know how long the laundering had been taking place. However, it's very likely that Victor has been collecting funds well before those four criminals came into play, meaning that he did, in fact, have some money to launder. If anything, I think your father hired some extra paws to help get more funds. You remember how the bank had no idea that they were being robbed until we came and stopped it? Who's to say that other banks haven't already been robbed, but just don't know about it yet?"

Nick took a moment to sift through their combined theories and look for any possible holes. When he couldn't find anything wrong with the idea – besides the one hole that stated that this was all conjecture and not fact – he nodded. "That makes sense. Okay, so he's laundering his illegal funds to make them 'legal' with the newfound help from these four guys."

Judy gave an affirmative nod. "I'd say we have a new case, and we should go looking for leads as soon as possible," she gushed excitedly.

"No, Judy." Just like that, the excitement was crushed by disappointed confusion.

"What?" the bunny asked, locking eyes with the fox in an effort to read what was going on in his head. It didn't work.

Nick looked incredibly tired and dead serious. His usual smugness was nowhere to be found, instead replaced with concern and pain caused by past experiences. "We're not going to investigate this."

"Why not?" Judy asked. "You said it yourself, money laundering is a high-risk operation. All we have to do is find one slip-up, and it's all over for Victor!" Judy emphasized her point by throwing her paws in the air.

Nick used his paws to gently lower the bunny's while he lowered his gaze. "Judy, don't you remember what happened the _last_ time we took on a case by ourselves?" As a look of confusion crept over the bunny's features, Nick groaned. "I think you do, seeing as it had happened over the course of the previous week or two. We tried to get in on the case about my dad, and it ended up with us getting kidnapped and tortured. My anxiety went full-blown PTSD, and you became scared of me. I'm _not_ going to risk something like that again."

Judy wanted to protest. She wanted to make Nick see that she wouldn't mess up again, that she wouldn't let last week repeat itself. She opened her mouth to speak, but Nick cut her off again. "I mean it, Judy. We're cops, not detectives. We can't run around the city looking to solve any and all interesting cases when we have a job to do. Yes, it's not always as exciting, but it's something worthwhile. The more we put ourselves in danger, the greater the risk that I – _we –_ lose what we already have."

The fox sighed and leaned back against the seat. He looked so tired and emotionally spent that it made Judy's heart ache. The bunny leaned into Nick's chest, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. Nick halfheartedly returned the hug, his mind still reeling from the fact that Judy had wanted to put herself in danger again.

"I'm sorry, Nick," Judy mumbled into her partner's chest. "I should've thought through that a bit more carefully."

Nick chuckled sadly while his paws began to gently massage the bunny's back. "A bit, yeah," he teased, and for the first time in a while, both mammals knew it was a genuine joke. Judy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "But don't worry, Carrots. We won't let this go unnoticed. We'll bring it to Bogo later today and let _him_ handle it. That sound fine to you?"

Judy nodded into the fox's chest. "That sounds perfect." She leaned back and locked eyes with Nick. "Thank you."

Just as Nick opened his mouth to answer, the radio on the dash crackled to life. "This is dispatch calling for any available officers. A mammal's just been assaulted and severely injured in the Rainforest District," came Clawhauser's voice, sounding as professional as his usually cheery voice could allow.

Judy's ears immediately perked up, gently swatting Nick in the face. She turned to the radio and quickly answered the call. "Dispatch, this is Officers Hopps and Wilde. What's the address?"

"Officer Hopps, perfect!" The two cops could imagine the broad grin on the chubby cheetah's face. "The call for nine-one-one came in just a few minutes ago. The caller said something about Vine and Tujunga."

Now Nick's ears perked towards the radio. Both cops knew that particular corner of the humid rainforest quite well, though not on purpose. Judy turned back to the fox, locking eyes with him for a second to make sure he was on the same page. To her relief, he was.

The bunny turned back to the radio in her paw as she moved off of Nick's lap and into her seat. "Copy that, Dispatch. Officer Wilde and I are on our way." As Judy finished saying this, Nick pulled the cruiser out of the parking lot before the vehicle virtually flew down the streets, making its way to the Rainforest District.

* * *

Officers Wolfard and Fangmeyer were already on location, along with an ambulance. The foliage in the surrounding area was washed in red and blue pulsating colors due to the lights on the different vehicles. A few civilians loitered about, most interested about all the commotion.

Nick and Judy carefully crossed over the rickety bridge that spanned the large gap between the street and Mr. Manchas' home. Memories of their first case together came flooding back, though they were of the "I hope we never have to do _that_ again" category. Neither mammal had enjoyed running for their life in the hot and humid environment, and the rain hadn't helped a bit.

"Hopps, Wilde," Fangmeyer, the broad-shouldered tiger, greeted with a professional tone. The feline's gaze was cold, reflecting his dislike of the two's relationship. However, he had made sure not to let his opinions taint his respect for the two, though Bogo had to nudge him in the right direction.

Wolfard, a wolf who wore gray fur everywhere but his muzzle and underbelly, was a bit less stoic. "Hey, guys! Glad you could make it!" he greeted in a sarcastically cheerful tone. He turned to where the paramedics were busy hauling someone onto a stretcher. "You arrived just in time for the most exciting part."

Despite having prepared herself for it, Judy's ears fell when she saw that it was Mr. Manchas who was to be taken to the hospital. "What happened?" she heard Nick ask as she watched the paramedics start to haul the unconscious jaguar to the ambulance.

Wolfard inhaled through his nose as he crossed his arms, his eyes searching the area as if the answers were hidden in the environment around them. After letting out his held breath in a sigh, the wolf turned towards the smaller officer. "We got reports of some ungodly racket coming from here, so I guess someone had finally come around to check up on our favorite jaguar. They found him lying at his doorstep, badly beaten and unconscious. The cops and ambulance were called soon after, though we have yet to find anything that can lead us to who attacked him."

"They were smart," Fangmeyer spoke up, his eyes seemingly scanning the area with an absentmindedness. Both the wolf and fox knew better, though: there was nothing absentminded about the tiger. "Whoever did it left little trace of their existence in the scene. No prints, no fur, not even a scent. However, we _did_ pick up on a cologne that was probably used as a musk mask, but it matches a cologne that Mr. Manchas is known to use often. We'll have to wait until Manchas is treated before we can get answers out of him. But we do know this: this wasn't a random attack, nor was it done by an amateur."

"Do we have any possible leads?" Judy heard Nick say as she joined the other cops. She glanced from the tiger to the wolf as they thought it over.

Wolfard spoke up first. "Anyone who is competent enough to successfully attack and subdue a full-grown male jaguar, and anyone who has a grudge against said jaguar or predators in general." He shrugged. "So, make that a significant portion of the city's population."

Judy's foot began to thump against the dirt as her mind mulled over the scenario. As she did this, Wilde, Wolfard, and Fangmeyer talked amongst themselves, trying to find an angle in this case that they hadn't yet considered. Suddenly, an idea came to the bunny. "What about neighbors?" she piped up, drawing the attention of the other three officers.

It didn't take long for Nick to understand what his mate was getting at, as shown by the visible effect the realization had on his features. The wolf and tiger were soon to follow. "Well, if I remember correctly," Fangmeyer began, pulling out a notebook from his back pocket, "this particular area of the district is more secluded. Houses are built far from each other, sometimes being separated by rivers and the like." The tiger pointed to the long, rickety bridge behind them. "Mr. Manchas' is one such house. However, there are still other mammals that live in the area, giving them the neighbor status. Wolfard and I have yet to visit them, seeing as we had only arrived shortly before you guys did."

"We don't know a lot about the neighbors," Wolfard chimed in, his arms still crossed. "We do know that at least _one_ of them is a prey mammal. A large deer buck, if I'm not mistaken."

"Right, but we still have to consider the other mammals," Fangmeyer stated. "Can't have us stereotyping during a time like this."

"Of course," Wolfard agreed, giving a dismissive wave of his paw. "I'm just letting you know which suspect I'm gonna question first."

The tiger rolled his eyes before turning back to the house. "We'll also have to thoroughly search the house as well; hopefully we missed something that could help us find out who did this."

"Is there anything _we_ can help with?" Judy spoke up, a hopeful smile on her face. Nick couldn't help but roll his eyes and shake his head at his partner's desire to do everything she could to help the city – everything, and all at the same time.

Wolfard chuckled. "We'll be okay. Thanks for the offer, though. As I understand it, you two had patrol duty with orders to stop any and all riots, right?" The two smaller cops nodded. "Well, then you'll want to get back to Headquarters and get your paperwork done before you need to clock out. I can tell you're both tired and need rest. So go get some."

Judy would be lying if she said that she wasn't disappointed that she couldn't help, but the idea of getting home and resting with her fox did sound pretty enticing. "Alright then," she heard Nick say, drawing the bunny from her musings. "We'll see you around, then?"

As the fox waved and turned to leave, Judy smiled up at the wolf and tiger. "Later guys, and good luck!" She began to hop away before she paused and turned back to Wolfard. "Oh, and say hi to my sister for me!" The bunny winked at the wolf before she turned back around and caught up with her husband.

Fangmeyer's eyebrow quirked while the insides of Wolfard's ears went pink. An awkward silence fell between the two partners. Wolfard tried to find some clever way to recover from this situation. Fangmeyer silently worked on coming to terms with the fact that he was surrounded by prey chasers. Good mammals and damn good cops, to be sure, but prey chasers nonetheless.

"Judy's sister?" the tiger asked, his quiet question violently shattering the growing silence between the two cops.

Wolfard swallowed a lump and nodded. "Yep."

"Name?" Fangmeyer's curt questions were starting to make Wolfard very nervous.

"Jenna," the wolf replied. He noticed that neither he nor his partner had moved from their spot, nor had they really moved any part of their body. They were like two uncomfortable statues having a semi-awkward conversation.

"How long?" Fangmeyer asked.

"Ever since sometime after I met her when I went with Wilde and Hopps to the Carrot Days Festival a few months back," the wolf explained. Happy memories of said week suddenly flashed through his mind, and his tail began to wag.

"And were you ever planning on telling me?" the tiger inquired, finally turning towards his partner.

Wolfard turned as well, a sheepish grin on his muzzle. "Well, it _was_ going to be a surprise."

* * *

The ride back to Precinct One was silent, but not uncomfortable. In fact, Judy liked that neither she nor Nick had any desire to start a conversation as it allowed her to mull over her thoughts and process the events of the day. While it didn't look like she and Nick had done much over the course of their shift, Judy felt incredibly tired. She was ready to get her reports written and get back home.

Nick pulled their vehicle into the ZPD parking lot, quickly finding their usual spot. They both exited the car and made their way to the front doors. They entered into the vast main lobby, which still did nothing to quell Judy's sense of awe no matter how many times she traversed the marble floors. Clawhauser's nose was buried in his phone, mostly likely pouring through unhealthy amounts of Gazelle gossip. Other officers milled about the room while others went about their respective duties. It was the hustle and bustle of dozens of mammals working to make a difference, and it sent a surge of determination through Judy's heart.

"Hey, Carrots, I'll meet you in the office," Nick said as he made his way to the elevator. "I've just got to ask Bogo something _real_ quick."

Judy stopped in her tracks. "By yourself?" she called back. The fox nodded. "Are you sure? You know how Bogo gets when you show up without warning, _especially_ if he's busy."

Nick shrugged her off as the elevator doors opened. "I'll be fine, Carrots. You've got nothing to worry about; I promise. Now, go get started on your reports," he added with a smile that didn't reach his eyes before the elevator doors closed and carried him up to the floor that held Bogo's office.

Judy had a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach, which she shrugged off. She trusted Nick, and she wanted to get her reports written. It didn't take long for her to find the office she shared with her partner, her body on autopilot. The bunny deliberately kept her thoughts away from what Nick could be discussing with Bogo, as she knew she would be risking more doubts from her anxious mind. Instead, she considered what she and Nick could do when they got home. Watch a movie? Go out to dinner? Cuddle under the sheets?

Upon reaching her office, Judy dismissed all other thoughts as she prepared to write her reports. She decided that it wouldn't hurt to write one for her and Nick's visit to the scene of Mr. Manchas' attack, and since that was a little less detailed, the bunny decided to work on that one first. After the first minute or so of filling out the information, Judy's mind began to wander.

Both good and bad theories as to how Nick's talk with Bogo was going popped into said mind. Nick could be asking for vacation days in hopes to help get Judy out of her emotional funk. He could be asking to be moved to another Precinct to give Judy some space. Heck, he could even be resigning for all she knew!

Each theory was a bit more ridiculous than the last, but that didn't stop Judy's mind from considering it. Eventually, the distraction grew strong enough that Judy had to step away from her report and pace around the room. As the bunny walked about the office in a repeating pattern, her foot tried to thump against the floor as her mind went into overdrive.

However, her mind wasn't given much time to consider all of the possibilities before a knocking on the door drew her attention. Judy whipped around to face the source of the noise, hoping that it was Nick. To say that she wasn't disappointed when she saw Clawhauser standing in the doorway with an amused grin on his muzzle was a lie; nonetheless, the chubby cheetah was a welcome change from the train of theories that Judy's mind was cooking up.

"Hey Ben, how are you?" Judy asked as she stopped pacing.

The cheetah's grin widened. "Doing just great, Judy. I thought I heard the unmistakable thumping of a bunny's foot, so I figured I'd come over and see what was up. You're so cute when you get all thoughtful and stuff!" He gleefully chuckled while Judy hid a faint wince. It took a few seconds, but Clawhauser soon realized his slip-up. Covering his mouth with his paws, the receptionist began to profusely apologize to the bunny.

Judy shrugged him off, saying that it was okay for that one time. If she was honest with herself, she had – to a certain extent – gotten over her coworkers calling her cute as they were bound to let it slip from time to time. Besides, with how much Nick used the term of endearment, it was hard to be irked or uncomfortable when the C-word was dropped on accident and on purpose.

Once Clawhauser was sure that he hadn't accidentally offended the bunny, he began to calm down and resume his normal, cheery state. For a moment, he looked ready to let loose a slew of the latest and juiciest Gazelle gossip when he paused and racked his brain. "I know I came in here for something," he muttered as his long tail swished behind him.

Judy patiently waited, knowing that Clawhauser could be a bit absentminded. Luckily, she didn't have to wait much longer when the cheetah snapped his fingers and a broad smile split his muzzle. "Oh, I remember now!" he cried before turning back to the bunny. "Chief Bogo would like to see you."

The bunny cocked her head in question. "Really? What for?" she asked as her brain started to list off the different possibilities. She quickly ignored the growing list, knowing that there was bound to be some ridiculous options on there.

Clawhauser shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't say. But the good news is that he didn't sound angry at all, so I'm sure you have nothing to worry about!" he cheerfully stated.

Judy gave the receptionist a smile. "That's good to hear. Thanks, Ben!" she exclaimed as she began the trek to the elevators. She was grateful for the distraction from Nick and her report, but the bunny still couldn't help but wonder why she was being called up. Hundreds of different possibilities rushed through her mind, but the most prominent one was, "Does it have something to do with Nick?"

The thoughts just kept coming as Judy entered the elevator, though they did become a bit easier to ignore as the seconds ticked away. By the time that the bunny cop reached the floor that held the chief's office, the hundreds of possibilities were nothing more than background noise in her mind. She walked up to the large, imposing sight that was Bogo's door. On most other days, Judy would have hesitated before she even considered knocking, but today was not one of those days.

"Come in," the buffalo's gruff voice ordered soon after Judy had knocked on the thick glass. The bunny cop quickly did as the chief said. Upon entering the room, however, she was both surprised and disappointed to find that Nick was nowhere to be seen.

Bogo must have seen the way she scanned the room, for he quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, Hopps. Wilde isn't in trouble. You'll see him after this conversation."

The bunny seemed to calm down, even if just a little bit. Without needing to be told, Judy walked over and hopped into the large chair that sat across from the gets buffalo. "You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked, initiating whatever the chief had planned.

Bogo gave an amused snort. He wasn't sure if it was because he was both impressed and amused by Judy's sense of initiative or the fact that she was probably operating out of habit, having been in this situation more times than either mammal cared to count. "I wanted to personally check up on how you're doing with Wilde. You know, if the riots have gotten too violent and the like. Your partner told me that you also found something interesting that I may want to know about."

It took Judy a moment to realize what Nick could have possibly referred to, and when the thought clicked, she had to suppress the grin that threatened to split her muzzle. _You sly fox, you,_ she thought before turning back to the buffalo. "Well, we're handling the riots just fine. They haven't gotten too serious, and most of the mammals aren't angered enough nor skilled enough to cause any violence." She paused as she thought to Mr. Manchas' assault. "That being said, Nick and I did answer a call to the Rainforest District earlier today. A jaguar was attacked in his own home. Wolfard and Fangmeyer were already there, along with an ambulance."

Bogo nodded grimly. "I see. And have you managed to find a lead of any sort?" the cape buffalo asked as he leaned forward. "Any suspects or evidence to help pinpoint who the attacker was?"

Judy gave a disappointed sigh. "No. Whoever attacked Mr. Manchas knew what he was doing. However, I still feel like this is related to the riots. I doubt anyone would have assaulted Manchas out of the blue, and a city full of riots is a great excuse to finally take your anger out on someone."

The chief nodded as he leaned back into his chair. "Makes sense. You're doing good work, Hopps," Bogo congratulated.

Judy felt a wave of pride rush through her at the praise, but quickly quelled it before it could go to her head. "Thank you, sir." She nodded.

"Now, what is it that you found that Wilde says is pretty important?" the Buffalo asked, his expression one of mild interest. The way he leaned back into his chair with his arms crossed over his chest felt very informal to Judy, which was odd. Bogo was rarely so casual in the workplace.

"Well," Judy began as she gathered her thoughts. "Do you know about Jack Savage?"

The chief nodded. "Of course. Head of the Furs Zootopia Bank. What about him?"

Judy shifted in her seat, making herself that much more comfortable before she turned back to Bogo. "You see, Nick and I met him at Big's funeral the other day. A few days later, he asked us if we would like to eat dinner with him and his wife as thanks for saving his back a few weeks back. We agreed, of course. Over the course of dinner, Jack explained to us how he knew Victor Wilde before he 'went bad,' so to speak, and how he thinks that his bank is being used to launder money for Victor. He offered to let us investigate for him, but we told him we'd think about it."

Bogo quirked an eyebrow. "Did you and Wilde come to an agreement?" he asked. While there was no irritation in his voice, Judy couldn't help but feel on edge.

"We decided that it was best left to you or the IRS. We've had enough with taking up our own cases for now," Judy replied. She immediately noticed the relief in Bogo's expression.

"That's good to hear," the chief stated as he leaned forward. "I'll make sure to have someone look into it. Anything else I should know about?" His brown eyes studied the bunny as he waited her answer. It wasn't obvious to everyone, but if one was careful enough, it wasn't hard to tell that something was going on between Hopps and Wilde.

If Judy caught the underlying, questioning tone in Bogo's voice, she didn't show it. "I shouldn't think so, sir," she replied.

Bogo snorted. "Then that is all. Find Wilde, finish your reports, and get some rest. You deserve it," he gently ordered, a twinkle of his hidden kindness sparking in his eyes.

Judy smiled and saluted. "Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" she happily exclaimed before hopping off the chair and making her way to the large door. The moment she crossed the threshold out into the floor, she could hear Nick's voice coming from the lobby below. Judy smiled as she realized that her partner was currently chatting up a storm with Clawhauser – something he hadn't done in what seemed like forever.

Deciding that the elevator wouldn't get her to her mate fast enough, Judy took to the stairs, happily greeting each and every officer that she passed by. Moments later, the bunny finally made it to the ground floor. She did slow down a bit to conserve energy, seeing as Bogo's office was on the topmost floor of the Precinct. Her ears perked to the sound of the conversation as she drew closer, but Judy had her attention on something else.

"Hey guys!" she greeted the fox and cheetah, a beaming smile gracing her muzzle. Clawhauser's smile grew upon seeing the bunny, but Nick's seemed to falter ever so slightly.

"Oh, hey, Judy! How'd the talk with Bogo go?" the cheetah asked as he leaned forward, propping his weight on the desk with his two elbows. His tail gleefully swished behind him, reflecting the happy mood of the feline it belonged to.

"Yeah, how did it go?" Nick chimed in as he leaned against the too-high-for-him desk. His signature smirk was in place, though it looked more like a mask than anything. However, his ears were perked in her direction – the telltale sign that he was genuinely curious and actively listening to what Judy was about to say.

"It went great," Judy answered as she gently bounced on the pads of her feet. "He asked about how we're handling the riots, and I told him about what Jack brought up to us."

Nick nodded, seemingly pleased with the answer. "What did he say about Jack?" he asked.

"He said he'll get someone to look into it," Judy replied. She noticed the relief that crept over Nick's features. "He also told me to get our reports done and head home."

"Actually, I was hoping we could stop somewhere before we head home," Nick admitted, his expression somewhere between sheepish and serious. "If it's alright with you, of course."

Judy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Well, where do you want to go?" she asked.

* * *

"Sir, Officers Hopps and Wilde are here," came the voice over the intercom. Warden Alexander Bratva looked up from his paperwork to acknowledge the device that had interrupted his train of thought. He gave an annoyed sneer at being disrupted, but the news of the two "celebrity" officers visiting again helped weaken his anger.

Reaching over, the large polar bear pressed the intercom. "Okay. I'll be there in second," he replied in his thick accent. The chair beneath Alexander creaked as the warden's weight slowly lifted off of it. The bear decided to ignore the protests of the inanimate object, for all it ever did was comment on the amount of weight he was gaining. With a lingering glare around the room, as if daring anything else to call him fat, Alexander turned and exited the office.

As the bear lumbered down the hallway towards the reception area, Judy sat next to her fox in one of the larger chairs. She could already feel the fatigue of the day settling in as her eyelids were getting increasingly heavy and Nick's side was starting to feel a lot more comfortable and welcoming. Closing her eyes for a bit couldn't hurt, right?

Just as Judy felt her consciousness slip away, the warden entered rather boisterously. "Nick! Judy! Welcome back!" he greeted with a broad grin. The bunny jumped into the air, all of her senses going on high alert thanks to the startling entrance of the polar bear.

Nick, however, put on his smug mask. "Glad to be back. You know, I never realized just how much I missed the excruciatingly cold weather around here. There's just something about knowing that I may lose a finger or two to frostbite that gets me all warm and cuddly." Despite the joking nature of Nick's greeting, Judy couldn't help but feel a bit of hostility rolling off of the fox. The bunny felt a knot of uneasiness form in the pit of her stomach, but she kept her mouth shut. Maybe Nick was just as tired as she was.

"I agree completely," Alexander nodded, apparently not picking up on the faintly agitated tone that came from the fox. "But there must be reason why you visit again, yes? Surely, it is not only for welcoming cold blizzards."

Judy turned to her partner. Ever since they had left work, the fox had kept quiet as to where they were going, much to Judy's annoyance. When the Tundratown Penitentiary had come into sight, the bunny had formulated an idea of what Nick wanted to do, though she couldn't be sure. So now she listened to the fox with avid interest as she waited to see if her guess was correct.

"Yeah, well, we'd like to visit with Bellwether again. I'm sure there are a few details she hasn't told us about her attack, and I'd just _love_ to hear them," Nick responded a bit too coldly. Even Alexander picked up on the tone, if his now tense body was anything to go by.

The warden quickly collected himself and shrugged off the fox's behavior. Who was he to blame someone for holding a grudge against the person that had tried to rule the city through fear? "Alright then, follow me. Should I have a room set up for you guys?"

"If you don't mind," Nick replied as he began to follow the bear into the hallway. Judy followed suit as she tried to ignore the voice of worry in the back of her head.

The scenery hadn't changed a bit since their last visit. Alexander brought them to the same room where they had last talked with the ewe and told the cops to wait while he got Bellwether. Nick leaned against the far wall, his gaze distant as he appeared to be deep in thought. Judy wanted to speak up – if only to break the growing silence – but couldn't find the courage to do so. Something was going on with Nick, and it was starting to make her worry.

Before long, the door opened and in came Bellwether. Alexander nodded to Nick and Judy before closing the door behind them, leaving the two cops with the ewe, who seemed legitimately surprised to see who was waiting for her; however, she wasn't caught off guard. Bellwether had a relaxed air about her – the kind that told others that she was currently happy with how things were unfolding for her. Taking the seat at the table, Bellwether regarded the fox and bunny.

"Well, to what do I owe this visit?" she innocently asked, her hazel gaze flicking between Nick and Judy.

The bunny turned to Nick, waiting to see if he would say anything. Instead, she found him gazing at her with an expression that said, "You go first, Carrots." Somewhat confused and at a loss for words, Judy turned back to the ewe.

"Uh, well, I guess we wanted to see if you had more information on your attacker," she began, unsure of where to take the conversation. A quick glance to Nick told her that she was going in the right direction.

Bellwether giggled. "I've already told you all I know, guys," she answered with a shrug. "I'm afraid I can't be of much help."

Nick scoffed, drawing the attention of the two other mammals in the room. "You'd like for us to believe that, wouldn't you?"

"What do you mean?" Bellwether asked, her smile slightly faltered and filled with confusion. Judy was just as curious while the nagging in her head grew louder.

Nick pushed off of the wall and advanced towards the table. Leaning forward on one paw, the fox coldly regarded the ewe. "What I mean is that you've fooled the city before, what with you being the 'innocent lamb.' But we know better, don't we?" He gestured to Judy as he said this. "I'm not sure if you have some plan up your sleeve once you get out of here, but I _am_ willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on your 'good behavior.' What I refuse to believe is your lack of knowledge on your attacker."

Bellwether's smile faltered completely, replaced with faint annoyance. "I'm sorry, but you're wrong. I've already given you all I can about that night, and I refuse to answer any more questions on the topic. If you want to ask me about something else, I'm open for discuss-"

Nick suddenly smacked the desk with his paw, startling the ewe into silence. Judy jumped a bit as well, her heart beating rapidly and her nose twitching uncontrollably. "Stop lying!" the fox shouted, his temper rising. Judy could practically see flames dance behind his cold, emerald eyes. "Innocent mammals are getting hurt thanks to the riots that have cropped up due to your little incident, and stupid assumptions are being thrown around! The sooner we can pin down the culprit, the sooner we can smooth things over!"

Bellwether quickly got over the surprise of Nick's outburst and set up her defenses. She'd dealt with many angry predators in her past, and she wasn't going to stop now. "I understand that, Nick. I care for this city as much as you do – well, _almost_ as much, thanks to my rehabilitation," she added under the dry glare from the fox. "However, there is no more information that I can give you!"

"That you can't give, or that you _won't_ give?" Nick growled, leaning in. Bellwether felt a strong urge to back away from the predator, but stood her ground. She noticed a small flicker of surprise in Nick's eyes; he hadn't expected her to remain vigilant.

However, Bellwether kept her mouth shut. The two refused to break eye contact first, leaving Judy to watch the sparks fly between them. It was quite the spectacle, but Judy couldn't find herself agreeing with Nick's tactics. This aggressive behavior just wasn't _him_.

"Zootopia will be safer if I don't tell," Bellwether finally said, her voice even and cool.

Nick scoffed and leaned back, his gaze still locked onto the ewe. "But you won't. We need this information, Bellwether. _I_ need this information." Judy and Bellwether watched as Nick reached into his paw, grabbed something, and withdrew it. His fingers remained closed, hiding whatever he held.

"I don't want it to come to this, but if this is the only way to get you to talk, so be it," the fox said as he opened his fist. In his palm lay a little pellet about the size of a blueberry. Judy and Bellwether immediately recognized the object and its blue contents. Night Howler.

"Nick, where did you get that?" Judy asked, visibly concerned as to where this conversation was going.

"ZPD lab," was the fox's curt reply. Nick's gaze remained firmly locked onto the ewe, who was now starting to get nervous.

"Why do you have that?" was Judy's second question. Maybe if she kept talking long enough, she could get Nick to stop this act and pull himself together.

The fox ignored her and instead snarled at the ewe. "Tell me who attacked you, and you walk out of here alive." His voice was little more than a growl.

Bellwether gulped, though she seemed to hold some of her composure. "You wouldn't dare. You would be putting Judy in danger." She gestured to the bunny with a gently shaking hoof.

The grin that split Nick's muzzle sent cold chills down Judy's spine. "Oh, she'll be fine. I'm not sure if you know this, but the last time I took Night Howler, I literally _couldn't_ harm her. She has nothing to worry from me, but you do. So what's it gonna be, Fluff?"

Judy's heart skipped a beat when she heard the nickname. It was one of Nick's favorites for her, but to hear it used as an insult for someone else tore at Judy's heart. This was not her Nick. Her Nick wouldn't threaten anyone with death over a little bit of information. Her Nick wouldn't go anywhere near Night Howler if he could help it. Her Nick wouldn't be scaring her as he was now.

"Nick, please," she began, reaching out to the fox. Nick glanced at her, his gaze telling her to back off until he was finished with his work. It sent a bolt of pain through the bunny's heart, and her ears drooped behind her back. But Judy complied, and backed away from her partner.

Nick brought the pellet to his mouth and stuck it between his teeth. He gently bit down on the projectile – not enough to break it, but enough to make both Judy and Bellwether wary. "What's it gonna be?" the fox asked again.

A tense silence fell over the group, and time seemed to stop. Judy glanced between the fox and sheep who were still focused on their staring contest. However, Bellwether did not seem the confident sheep she was just a few moments ago. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she kept glancing at the little blue pellet stuck between the fox's sharp teeth. Nick, on the other hand, remained cold and smug as ever. He knew that he won; it was just a matter of time before he received his prize.

"Alright fine!" the ewe blurted out, finally tearing her gaze away from the fox. "It was Victor!"

Both Nick and Judy's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really?" the fox asked, making no move to remove the pellet from inside his mouth.

Seemingly defeated, the ewe nodded. "He didn't _attack_ me, as I had said. He came to me one day and asked that I help him cause some ruckus in the city. Said it would also help me get out of here faster, so who was I to refuse. All I had to do was pretend I had been attacked and make a big deal out of it, and that was that. The rest of the city took it from there."

"So the citizens of Zootopia are hurting each other over a goddamn lie!?" Nick growled. His fangs compressed the pellet, pushing it dangerously close to its breaking point. This time, Judy did intervene to keep the fox from making a mistake.

"Nick, it's okay," she said, placing a paw on her partner's arm. "We have the info, we can tell Bogo, and all will be fixed."

The fox spat out the pellet into his paw and turned towards the bunny. As he did so, he also pulled away from her touch. "I doubt that, Carrots. In this town, once an idea gets into the heads of mammals, it takes a _lot_ more than just a simple, "Oh, he told me to do it" to change their minds." He turned back to Bellwether. "I hope you're happy. Mammals are being attacked thanks to these riots, and it's all because you wanted a way to get out of here sooner."

Bellwether said nothing as she stared back. There was a flicker of guilt in her hazel eyes, but it was too small for even Judy's tastes. "It was bound to happen sooner or later, these outbreaks. Better we get through them sooner than later," the ewe stated.

Nick snarled at the sheep, his hackles raising and his fur bristling. "Better we didn't deal with them in the first place," he growled before turning on his heel and exiting the room. As the door slammed shut behind him, Judy was jerked back from her thoughts.

When Nick had pulled away from her, she felt a stab of something akin to betrayal in her heart. To think that just last night, they had slept in each other's arms after laying bear the problem that was growing between them. Judy could only stand there, firmly rooted to the spot. She ignored Bellwether's existence as she tried to process what was happening to her husband and how she could stop it before she lost him again.

 **Just for fair warning, there won't be as much fluff in the next few chapters. We're getting closer to the final act, and with that comes with a lot of twists and turns!**

 **Also, a shout-out to WildeHoppsOfBakerStreet and his story A Fox and Bunny Stew, a one-shot collection that's fun to read. If you've read it, then there's a good chance that you found my reference to the story. If you haven't read it, then I recommend doing so; it's a great read!**


	19. Anger

**Mandatory anti-fluff warning!**

It was only after what felt like an eternity did Judy finally shake herself out of her stupor and exit the room. She didn't look back at the ewe that she and her partner were questioning, her mind more focused on Nick than anything else. A million and one theories as to the reason behind the fox's current behavior rushed through Judy's mind, and they all seemed just as possible as they were implausible.

The bunny stepped out into the hallway, hoping that Nick hadn't gone too far ahead of her. She found him standing right outside the interrogation room, talking with Warden Bratva. "You need what?" the polar bear was asking in his thick accent, sounding a bit confused.

Nick sighed and tried again. "I would like to see the security tapes for the night of Bellwether's attack. Hopps and I think we may have a lead as to the identity of the culprit."

"You don't think we already tried that?" Alexander Bratva contended, his tolerance of the fox's attitude quickly diminishing. "Our records of night in question are all wiped!"

"Show me," Nick retorted as he kept his icy gaze on the polar bear. As the two fell into a silent staring contest, Judy felt an intense wave of deja vu. In a way, this was almost a repeat of what happened with Bellwether: Nick lashing out and trying to establish himself as the dominant mammal in the conversation. With Bellwether, that fact was already a given, but with the Warden, Nick would have to fight a bit harder, which he was doing.

And he won.

With a sigh, the warden broke eye contact with the fox cop. "Alright, fine. But I promise you won't find evidence you're looking for," he said as he turned and began lumbering down the hall.

"I'll be the judge of that," Nick retorted as he fell in step behind the massive polar bear. Judy soon followed suit, setting her body to autopilot. She studied Nick as the trio walked down the hall and took note of his mannerisms: the agitated twitch of his ear, the constant swish of his tail, the way he kept his body tense and rigid. Gone was the usual, carefree fox that Judy had come to know and love. In its place was a mammal who was angry and stressed.

Judy felt a wave of determination wash over her as she continued to study Nick. He would always be there for her when she was having a rough day, and she would always be there for him.

Before long, the warden finally led the two cops to their destination: the office that held all of the surveillance equipment and records. The wolf on duty didn't so much as glance at them, for his attention was needed on the multiple screens playing a live feed of the prison.

"Hey, Dennis, could you pull up records of night of Bellwether's attack?" Alexander asked. Dennis shot the bear a side glance that asked if he was serious. "Now," the polar bear added, his tone somewhat cold.

Rolling his eyes, the wolf pushed away from the monitors and used his chair to roll over to another screen off to the left. With practiced precision, he booted up the machine and quickly skimmed through hours upon hours of recorded data. Warden Bratva, Nick, and Judy all made their way closer to the wolf and began peering around him to get a look at the screen.

Dennis noticed this and acknowledged the group. "Hey, back up a bit," he barked, leaning back from the screen. "I can't work when you're all crowding me."

Judy was the first to comply, soon followed by the warden. Nick lingered behind out of possible defiance before following suit; however, he didn't seem happy about having to do so. Now that the other mammals were out of his personal space, Dennis continued skimming through the data until he finally found the security feed for Interrogation Room B.

"Alright, the floor's yours, Warden," the wolf announced before pushing away from the small monitor. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do." Dennis returned to his giant wall of screens, his eyes avidly studying the goings on about the prison.

Alexander motioned for either Nick or Judy to take the wheel, seeing as he was far too big to handle the equipment correctly. Judy glanced at her partner, trying to deduce if he would want to sort through the video feed. She was somewhat surprised to find that he was gazing at her with a look that said, "It's all yours, Carrots."

Judy nodded and hopped up onto an extra chair, which Nick then pushed over to the desk. Once in position, the bunny began the feed. The trio of mammals watched as Bellwether entered the room and sat at the table. A few minutes passed without anything of interest happening. But, just as Judy was about to skip through the feed, the door in the video opened. Bellwether turned her attention to her new visitor, who was just now crossing the threshold into the room.

And then the feed skipped.

The space was no longer nice and tidy. Instead, the few chairs were haphazardly strewn about, and the table was overturned. On screen, Bellwether watched as whoever had visited her exited the room, leaving her behind with the mess. Then, as the door closed, the ewe glanced around at the mess before her as if contemplating something. Coming to a decision, she walked over to one of the chairs and positioned herself on it before she called for the guards. As she pretended to be hurt, she somehow got the arctic fox on duty to believe the story that she had just been attacked. Said fox then carried the ewe out of the room.

"Seriously?" Nick asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the small group. "She managed to fool that guy? That was the worst acting I've ever seen!"

Judy found herself agreeing with Nick, though she also wanted to vouch for the guard. "Maybe the surprise of finding the place sacked clouded his judgment?" she suggested in a quiet voice.

Nick scoffed. "Yeah, sure, he was startled into believing whatever Smellwether had to say," he coldly teased. Suddenly, his expression changed as if realization had just dawned on him. "Rewind that a bit," he stated, motioning to Judy with his paw.

The bunny rewound the feed until Nick suddenly cried, "Stop! Don't press anything else!" Doing so left the screen paused at a single frame. Bellwether was waving goodbye to her guest, who was currently walking out the door. His face was hidden, but his tail was completely visible.

"Wait a minute," Judy said, leaning forward. Nick nodded as he did the same. "That almost looks like your tail, Nick."

"Right," the fox acknowledged. "While that doesn't prove that Victor was here, it _does_ show that Bellwether was lying about what kind of fox attacked her." He turned to Warden Bratva. "Are there any security cameras outside the room; you know, one that would show visitors going in and out that door?" he asked, pointing to the screen for emphasis.

Alexander nodded. "Yes. Security is important here," he answered. Judy waited for the retort that was bound to escape the fox's lips, but was surprised when Nick held his tongue. It didn't take long for the bunny cop to switch cameras and rewind the feed a bit.

Judy played the video from the point where the arctic fox escorted Bellwether to the interrogation room. Once the door closed behind the ewe, the white-furred mammal stood guard in the hall, standing stoic and expressionless. A few minutes passed before the shadow of another mammal began to cross the floor to the fox's right. The guard turned to acknowledge the visitor and let him into the room.

And then the feed skipped again.

The door just finished closing, and the fox still stood guard. To the untrained eye, it seemed that nothing had happened at all. To a trained eye, the tiny changes in detail were awfully suspicious.

"Fast forward." Again, Nick motioned to Judy with his paw. The bunny did as the fox suggested, coming to a stop just as the guard entered the room upon hearing Bellwether's cry. "Too far," Nick stated, causing Judy to roll her eyes. She held her tongue, however, and rewound the footage just a bit. Unsurprisingly, just as the door opened again, the feed skipped.

"The direction that the shadow came from, does that lead to an exit?" Nick asked in a faintly frustrated voice, turning back to the warden.

"Yes, but I'm sure you'll only find same results as these cameras," Alexander cautioned.

Nick turned back to the screen and hopped onto the chair with Judy, who shuffled over to allow him room. From there, the fox took control, scouring through camera after camera. To his growing frustration, there was a significant time skip in each one, all the way to the exit that the visitor had used. Whoever had wiped the footage was thorough.

"There's nothing" Nick blankly stated. "It's all gone."

"Yes, that is what I was saying," Alexander exclaimed, quickly losing his patience with the fox. "We have already looked at footage."

Nick completely ignored the polar bear and turned to the wolf who still sat in front of the giant wall of screens. "Hey, Dennis!" the fox called. With some reluctance, Dennis turned towards the cop.

"Yes?" he asked, clearly not happy with being interrupted from his work.

"How long are you in here on a day-to-day basis?" Nick inquired, fixing the wolf with a cold glare.

Dennis shrugged. "I dunno. I'm practically here twenty-four seven, but I get a few breaks here and there. I also have a life outside of the Penitentiary to return to, so there's that." he replied unenthusiastically.

Judy's gaze flicked between her husband and the wolf. It was obvious that Nick was growing increasingly frustrated with the mammals around him as they seemed to be of no direct help to the case. However, he appeared to be trying his best not to completely lose it. "Are those breaks long enough for someone to sneak in and wipe nearly a half-hour's worth of footage from the system?" Nick asked.

"Are you accusing me of deleting the data?" Dennis growled as he realized the meaning behind the fox's line of questioning.

"I'm asking you if it was possible for someone else to do it," Nick shot back, his fur beginning to bristle. "That way, I can _prove_ that it could've been you."

At this, Dennis bared his teeth at the fox, who proceeded to reciprocate the action. Judy instinctively backed away from Nick, though the mind in her voice stayed hidden. Warden Bratva watched as the scene unfolded in front of him before finally stepping in.

"Officer, I will have to ask that you don't go throwing around silly accusations. I can tell you are tired; go home and get rest," the warden suggested, keeping his voice calm and collected.

Nick immediately turned to the polar bear. "Oh, right, and waste yet _another_ night that Victor can spend getting one step ahead. We're falling behind, Bratva!" he growled. The warden didn't so much as flinch at the outburst.

"Nick, calm down," Judy spoke up, her voice barely audible over the snarl in Nick's throat. The fox suddenly whipped around to her, his teeth still bared and his fur still bristling. Judy flinched back, her paw going for her tranquilizer that was attached to her belt. She saw Nick's emerald eyes flick towards the source of the sudden movement before locking with her eyes again.

Judy ignored the look that the fox gave her and straightened herself up. "Nick. Calm down," she tried again, surprised that her voice was clear and smooth. Nick continued to stare at her as if her were deciding what to do from here. Eventually, he sighed and lowered his hackles as his fur smoothed out.

"Alright, fine, Carrots," Nick snapped, showing that he was still angry. He turned back to the wolf and polar bear. "I just need a lead to give to Bogo so his team can get on the case. Is there _anyone_ who had the opportunity to access the footage? And if so, do any of them have the skill to erase that much data?"

Dennis and Alexander glanced at each other before turning back to the two cops. "Rick," came their simultaneous reply.

Both Nick and Judy were confused. "Rick?" they asked in unison. Judy quickly retrieved her carrot pen and notebook, ready to jot down any useful information. Nick merely glanced between the wolf and polar bear as if he could find the answer written on either mammal's face.

Warden Bratva spoke up. "He was fox you saw in recording. He and Dennis used to work together here before he got promoted to guard." Judy quickly wrote that information down.

"True, true. However, he never really liked that job. Whenever he was on break, he would come to me and rant about how tiring or boring his shift was, how much he missed spending hours in this office, stuff like that," Dennis continued. "I remember, he even came in one day and told me that he had found a part-time gig at an amusement park for predators, of all things. Can you believe it?"

Nick growled as the wolf began to get sidetracked. Alexander picked up on this and spoke up again. "Moving on, the night of Bellwether's attack was his last night here. He gave his resignation notice few weeks back."

"So you don't know where he is?" Nick groaned; it seemed that every possible lead they could get led to a different dead end.

Warden Bratva shook his head. "We don't have policy stating that we had to, as you say, 'keep tabs' on our old employees. What they do outside of work, as long as is legal, is their business."

"Unfortunately, I even fell out of touch with him," Dennis spoke up, only fueling the fox's increasing frustration. "So I wouldn't know either."

Again, Nick groaned, though it sounded more like a growl at this point. "Is there _anything_ you have on him somewhere? Such as a resume or file that can tell us about him?" He sounded almost desperate at this point, his movements and mannerisms becoming frantic.

"Nick, I thought we weren't working on this case?" Judy asked, hesitantly placing a paw on the fox's arm. Immediately, Nick pulled away from her touch. He whipped around to face her again, though he took a moment to at least even out his breathing before speaking.

"Has Bogo thought to continue investigating Bellwether's attack? No, no he hasn't. But we did, and now we know that Victor attacked her," Nick explained as he tried to keep his voice even. "And since Bellwether's attack sparked the riots that we have to stop, I'm technically not overstepping our boundaries."

Judy's mouth hung agape as the bunny was surprised with Nick's actions and behavior. "Nick, stop and listen to yourself! You're hardly thinking straight, you're lashing out at everyone in the room for almost no reason, and you're desperately trying to get in on the case that _you_ said we wouldn't worry about! This isn't you, Nick!" She hoped she could get through to Nick and get him to see reason.

Nick scoffed, averting his gaze as he did so. "Are you sure about that? Trust me, Carrots: there's a _lot_ about me that you don't know. You know next to nothing about my childhood besides what I've told you, and I've kept my life as a street hustler a secret to the whole world," he rambled on, the growl in his throat growing louder with each passing second. "As for the case, I'm just trying to help us along. Innocent mammals are getting hurt because of Bellwether's lie. If the city had a specific mammal to blame, then we can at least lessen the violence while the ZPD tracks Victor down."

"What about those innocent mammals who are wrongly accused of being in association with Victor, Nick?" Judy shot back. "What will the city think of _us_ , the two mammals everyone has started to ridicule just because your last name is Wilde. What about that amusement park, Wild Times? The news is crawling all over it, trying to see if it's even remotely connected to Victor!"

"I said _lessen_ the violence, not stop it," Nick contended, his fur bristling again. His eyes widened as if something had just clicked in his head. "Wait a minute," he muttered before turning back to Dennis. "You said that Rick had found a part-time job at an amusement park for predators, right?"

Dennis, who had begun to feel awkward as the two cops argued, suddenly felt put on the spot. He stuttered a bit as he answered the question. "Y-yeah I did. In f-fact, your bunny friend there just said its name. However, it closes around eleven," the wolf added, gesturing towards a clock that hung on the wall. Funnily enough, it was a souvenir from Wild Times, the face of the clock proudly displaying the park's logo. The time currently read 10:45 pm.

Nick, who had been excited about the new lead, now began to curse under his breath. "I'll have to wait until tomorrow, then. But this is good; this could work," he mumbled to himself as he hopped off the chair.

"Nick, what happened to not letting the warehouse incident repeat itself!?" she cried, feeling infuriated and confused with Nick. She climbed off the chair and made her way over to the fox, who had stopped and turned towards her. "Let Bogo handle it! This is not our case! Please, let's just – let's just go home. We can talk about this tomorrow." The fatigue of the day was finally starting to catch up with Judy again, and Nick's behavior wasn't helping in the slightest.

"Victor's too smart for the ZPD, Carrots! He probably helped Dallas and those guys escape, not to mention sneak in here virtually undetected! As long as he's out there, innocent mammals are going to get hurt, and I can't allow that!" Nick shot back, his voice little more than a growl now.

Judy stared into the fox's eyes. She saw anger laced with so much fear and doubt that it made her heart hurt. "Nick, this isn't your responsibility, so stop acting like it is. You're tired; you're grumpy; you're not _you_. Let's just go home." The bunny studied Nick as silence fell over the room. So engrossed in her partner was she that Judy didn't acknowledge the existence of the polar bear and wolf, both of whom were both feeling rather awkward as they glanced between the two bickering cops.

The fox leaned forward and broke the growing silence. "He's my dad, Carrots. Therefore, he's _my_ responsibility. Either help me take him down, or get out of my way," he quietly growled before promptly turning on his heel and exiting the room.

Judy could only stare as she watched her husband leave. The harsh sting of betrayal stabbed at her heart as she replayed Nick's last sentence over and over in her mind. She had never heard her fox talk or act like that before; in all the time that she knew him, Nick was never an aggressive mammal. Coming to her senses, Judy began to follow after the fox. "Nick?" she called out, hoping her wasn't too far ahead. "Nick!"

As the bunny's voice grew distant, Dennis and Alexander looked at each other with quizzical expressions. The general awkwardness of the situation was not lost on either of them, though there was a growing concern.

"They looked like they're at their wits' end," Dennis spoke up, gesturing towards the door with his snout. "I almost thought there would be some slapping in there."

"That is not funny, Dennis, and you know it," Alexander snapped, a grim light in his eyes. "Victor will not be happy if they keep pushing each other away."

Dennis quickly glanced back to the door, suspicious of the two cops known for their hustling skills. If all that had been a ploy to get them to admit that they worked for Victor, then they were both in trouble. Luckily, there was no sudden flash of red and gray, no shouting cops reading out Miranda Rights.

"Should we tell Vic, then?" the wolf asked, glancing back at the warden. "I think he'd like to know how his game is going for his two star players."

Alexander sighed and turned back towards the door. "Victor is smart mammal; he can figure it out. I would feel better if he didn't hear news from me." With that, the large bear lumbered out of the office.

Dennis mulled over Warden Bratva's words for a few second before shrugging and turning back to the monitors. "Makes sense, I guess," he mumbled to himself as he quickly found the two officers on one of his screens.

Nick was still ahead, but Judy was catching up. Her body was on autopilot as she tried to get over the pain in her chest. This pain, however, only grew as she kept thinking about it. The bunny fought hard to keep the tears at bay, but it was an uphill battle. All of the emotional stress from the past week threatened to burst forth from the dam that was her heart. It was almost tempting to let it all out, to let the dam break. But Judy needed to be strong – not only for herself, but for Nick as well.

Judy entered the parking garage soon after Nick did, and their cruiser was visible. In a desperate attempt to get Nick to acknowledge her, the bunny called out again. "Nick!" And again, the fox ignored her as he continued to walk at a brisk pace to the car. Judy picked up her pace, quickly catching up with her partner.

Reaching out and pulling on his arm seemed to get his attention. Judy had to pause as Nick suddenly whipped around and growled in her face. "What, Carrots!? What?" His fur wasn't bristling and his hackles weren't raised, but his annoyed tone hurt just as badly.

"Nick, please. You're scaring me." Judy could barely get her voice louder than a shaky whisper, but she didn't let that stop her. "I don't like seeing you like this, Nick. I'm worried about you."

Nick scoffed and glanced away, though Judy could still see the hurt in his eyes. "Worried about me, huh? Yeah right, Carrots. While you think you're worrying about me, you're actually worrying abo _ut you_ rself. You're scared of me; you don't want the big, bad fox to gobble you up, right?" The tone of masked pain and anger tore at Judy's heart, threatening to break the already-stressed dam.

"I'm not scared _of_ you, Nick," Judy mumbled quietly; she wasn't even sure if Nick heard her. "I'm scared _for_ you. I have no idea what you're going through now, but I can tell that it's hurting you. When you keep pushing me away, you start to hurt me too."

To her surprise, Nick seemed on the verge of tears as he regarded her. Hope filled the bunny's heart again; hope that they could finally move past this case and get on with their lives as normal. Judy took a step forward, her paw outstretched towards her fox. "Let's just go home and forget about Victor and this case for now, okay?"

That was the wrong thing to say.

Immediately, Nick's expression hardened as the fox pulled away. Without another word, he turned and continued walking towards the cruiser. The hope that had filled Judy's heart was now crushed with shock and guilt, and the dam just about burst again. "Nick!" the bunny called out for the umpteenth time as she made her way to the car.

She watched as Nick climbed into the driver's seat, shut the door, and stoically glared straight ahead of him. It didn't take a genius to know that he was finished with conversation for the night. As Judy made her way to the passenger-side seat, she thought of ways to get her partner to talk about anything. She dreaded the thought of a long and silent car ride, especially after the day she had.

Unfortunately for her, Nick was still dead silent as Judy climbed into her seat. She sighed as the fox wordlessly started the cruiser. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Connor Lyon yawned for the umpteenth time, more evidence that the coffee served in the ZPD break room had absolutely no effect on sleep. Granted, the raccoon was known to drink the liquid caffeine like his life depended on it, but that didn't excuse the terrible coffee. As Connor looked around at his fellow co-workers, a funny idea popped into his mind.

 _The coffee is as slow as the sloths._ He chuckled to himself as he downed the rest of his mug and turned back to his desk. Vials of different chemicals proudly stood in an organized arrangement that spoke of the raccoon's attention to detail. Small bags filled with evidence from different cases also lay in a well-kept pile as they waited for his analysis.

It felt strange, being back in the ZPD after all this time. Granted, he couldn't blame Bogo for letting him back on the forensics team. Thanks to the Mammal Inclusion Initiative, sloths were allowed to join the ZPD. Unfortunately for just about everyone who wasn't a sloth, the lethargic mammals who were hired all wanted to work behind the scenes. And that meant the birth of the slowest forensics team on the planet.

Despite being welcomed back with open arms, as Connor liked to think of it, he was still put under strict guidelines and regulations. Being a kleptomaniac didn't help the raccoon's case, of course. Officers took shifts to watch over Connor as he worked. Despite only having been hired for about a day, the raccoon had quickly used this arrangement as an opportunity to make some new friends.

One of his favorite officers was a panther by the name of Brandon. They had quickly hit it off together and now spent most of their time talking about the kind of little things that friendships could be built off of. Today was no different: Brandon and Connor talked about their favorite topics while the raccoon worked. This conversation's topic was Brandon's love life, or lack thereof.

"So, we're at the bar, right? There's this gorgeous tigress sitting just across the way. All my drinking buddies are eyein' her, whispering among each other of who'd get first dibs and all that. Suddenly, they all get the same idea that _I_ should go ask," Brandon explained as he sipped his equally useless cup of coffee. Not that he needed it, though: he was usually an energetic mammal. "I tell the guys – I say, 'Listen. I need a few more beers before I can even _consider_ asking her out."

Connor chuckled and glanced at his friend. "So what did you do? Get drunk enough to actually ask her out?" he asked, genuinely intrigued as to what transpired that night.

"Somehow, yes," the panther answered with a somewhat nostalgic smile on his face. "I think the guys had something to do with it, but I was full-on _drunk_ when I finally plucked the courage to ask her out."

The raccoon turned to his friend, and crossed his arms. "I need all the details, Brandon. Come on, tell me what she said. Did you manage to present yourself in _some_ kind of dignified manner?" Connor probed with a friendly tone.

Brandon chuckled. "Alright, alright. From my fuzzy memory and what the guys tell me, I walked up to the tigress like a champ. Apparently, I'm good at acting sober while drunk, so I guess that's a good thing? Anyway, I asked her, and from there my mind is blank. The guys all smile when I ask them what happened, and that's not comforting."

Connor had to fight to hold back his laughter. "Have you checked your phone at all? Surely, if she said yes, you got her number!" the raccoon gestured to the officer's pocket, where his smartphone was bound to be held.

"That seems logical, yes." Brandon fished his phone out of his pocket and began scrolling through the contacts. A few seconds passed in anticipatory silence as Connor waited to see if Brandon did indeed have a date. The panther's eyes suddenly widened as his jaw went slack.

Connor smiled. Bingo.

"Uhm, I have _two_ Fangmeyers in my contact list," Brandon spoke up, glancing to his raccoon friend.

Connor shrugged. "He does have a sister. Didn't you know that?" He kept his tone casual as he tried to hide his excitement and laughter.

If Brandon's fur could change color with his skin, it would surely be a shade paler now. "A _sister!?_ " the panther repeated, suddenly seeming very nervous. "Oh geez, there's a text from her."

Connor was quickly losing the battle against his laughter. "What does it say?"

"I _do_ have a date with her. This Saturday," Brandon mumbled. He then put his phone down, buried his face in his paws, and moaned. "Fangmeyer's gonna kill me!"

"Why would he?" Connor asked. A snicker managed to escaped his lips as he did so, but he was still able to keep himself in check.

Brandon turned his gaze to his raccoon friend. "I'm going on a date with his sister!" he cried out as if it were the end of the world.

That was the final straw. Connor doubled over as his body convulsed with the laughing fit that had been building up over the past few moments. He knew he shouldn't have, given by the glances he got of the panther's distressed and shocked face, but there was nothing the raccoon could really do at the moment. Luckily, he managed to settle down after a minute.

As Connor wiped a tear from his eye, Brandon spoke up again, "This isn't funny, Connor! What am I gonna say to Fangmeyer? 'Hey, how are you? Good? Oh, that's cool. Hey, listen, I sorta met your sister while drunk one night and asked her out. I hope that's cool, though, she already agreed.'" After his "performance," the panther, waiting for an answer to his problems, crossed his arms and glared at the raccoon.

"Brandon, buddy, I feel you. These kinds of situations can be a bit tough, but you just gotta power through them. Obviously, Miss Fangmeyer is a strong, independent tigress capable of making her own decisions. I don't think you forced her into anything, and I think she knows what she wants out of a relationship. If you want to talk to Fangmeyer, then talk to him. But don't just 'ask his permission'; that's stupid. Let him know that you'd never hurt her and all that jazz. Can't go wrong," Connor explained. When he finished, he gave Brandon a reassuring pat on the shoulder and a friendly smile.

"What should I do during my date with her?" the panther asked, looking a little better after the raccoon's encouragement.

"Get to know her. Respect her. Treat her well," Connor listed off using his fingers. "And most importantly: don't bang her unless you're both one hundred percent sure that either of you is sober enough to make rational decisions, or that you're both ready for that step. I'm sure that this is the one part of your relationship that Fangmeyer would take _very_ seriously, so don't screw it up."

Even Brandon chimed in as Connor fell prey to another laughing fit. It took a while for the two to calm down, and when they did, there were still a few snickers left in their system. "Thanks, Connor. I don't know what I would do without you," Brandon stated as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"You'd probably be off getting dates while drunk and never know about it," Connor suggested with a chuckle. The raccoon then turned back to his work, realizing that he had yet to get anything productive done.

Brandon rolled his eyes at his friend's comment. His gaze then fell on a plastic-wrapped object, though he couldn't quite tell what it was. "Connor, what's that?" he asked as he stood up and made his way to the item in question.

Connor glanced over with mild disinterest. "Oh, that? That's the uniform that Wilde and Hopps brought in a few days ago. They say it was Victor's at one point, but no one knows if that's true or not."

Brandon frowned. "Well, why don't you analyze it and find out?" he suggested, holding the plastic-wrapped uniform to the raccoon.

Connor chuckled. "You think Victor would be stupid enough to leave evidence like that behind? That's the biggest rookie mistake a crime boss can make."

Brandon shrugged as he regarded the object in his paws. "Perhaps, but what if he did it on purpose?"

Connor quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he seems really interested in Hopps and Wilde, right? He's been two steps ahead of the ZPD all this time, so we already know that he's smart. _But_ , what if he got tired of waiting and decided that he'd give us – or, more specifically, Hopps and Wilde – a lead to follow? You know, fueling our fire and all that," Brandon reasoned.

Connor took a moment to mull over the possibility. "Well, it makes sense," he muttered after a few seconds, "but I still think it's stupid." He grabbed the plastic-wrapped uniform from Brandon's paws and got to work.

It was quite fascinating to Brandon how methodical the raccoon was as he worked. He handled everything with extreme care, looking as if he was constantly working with a live bomb that could explode at any sudden movement. He meticulously scoured over every detail, never missing a nook or cranny for fear of missing crucial evidence. And, of course, he was a hell of a lot faster than the other sloths who worked there, so that was a plus.

After the general preparation and examination, Connor ran the uniform through the special scanner that had been installed to counterbalance the slow sloths. When used correctly, the machine could find any and all scraps of evidence within minutes at the push of a button. Of course, with sloths, the hard part was waiting while everything was made ready and the button was pushed.

The scanner whirred to life, and the two friends stood back while they waited for the results. A computer screen attached to the machine suddenly flashed, signaling that something had been found. Connor and Brandon turned their attention to the monitor as new information was printed out.

Both mammals' eyebrows raised as the screen revealed that there was no direct match to the DNA that was found on the uniform. They patiently waited to see if the computer could find a close match to someone else in the database, which normally took a little longer. However, they didn't have to wait long this time.

Connor's jaw went slack as the closest match was one Nicholas Piberius Wilde.

"I need to get a hold of them!" the raccoon exclaimed as he made a mad dash for his desk, where his phone was located. He began scrolling through his contacts when he realized that he didn't actually have the numbers of the two officers he needed to get a hold of. Connor whipped around to see Brandon already scrolling through his phone.

"I got you covered," the panther reassured. He quickly dialed the fox and put the phone on speaker; it was much too big for Connor to comfortably hold.

The anticipation in the air grew as the tone rang on. Connor silently willed Nick to pick up, but as the seconds crawled by at an excruciatingly slow pace, he began to worry.

"Yes, hello?" came the fox's voice. Connor had to stop himself before he let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Hey, Nick, it's Connor!" the raccoon greeted after he composed himself.

"Connor!?" Nick sounded surprised. "How'd you get Brandon's phone? You didn't steal it, did you?" While the raccoon _should've_ been ticked at the comment, he noticed that the fox cop didn't sound too angry with him. This was hopefully a good sign.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you guys didn't know. I'm working with the ZPD again!" Connor exclaimed, though he was anxious to get moving to the more important topic at hand.

There was silence on the phone for a few seconds before Nick spoke up, "Are there any sloths around?"

Both Connor and Brandon furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. "No?" the raccoon replied.

"Thank _god!_ " Nick suddenly blurted, sounding relieved. "It's about time we got someone who knew what they were doing, let alone do it in a reasonable time frame! Congrats, man!"

Connor still wasn't used to the blatantly warm welcome he received from most of the Precinct. It seemed that the pain the sloths unintentionally caused was more than enough to justify letting someone like him back onto the team. "Yes, that's great, thank you. But, I've got somet –"

Nick interrupted him. "So, how are you holding up? You tempted to steal anything yet?" the fox asked in a playful tone.

"Not that I'm aware of," Brandon spoke up, sending a snarky grin at his raccoon friend. "We've got officers watching over him in shifts. It's my turn tonight; lucky me."

"Ah, that makes sense. Good luck, then, Brandon." Both the raccoon and the panther could _hear_ the smirk on the fox's face.

"Yeah, yeah, that's all well and fine, but I've got something important to tell you!" Connor exclaimed, feeling rather impatient to relay the information he had found.

"Really? What?" Nick asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"You know that uniform that you and Judy found the other day?" Connor asked. When he got an affirmative hum from the fox, he continued, "Well, I just ran it through the scanner. The DNA doesn't have an exact match in our database, but its _closest_ match is you."

A beat of silence passed as Connor let the revelation sink in. "What _exactly_ does that mean?" Nick asked slowly, as if he wasn't sure if he should believe the raccoon or not.

"It means that whoever had the uniform last is related to you, Nick," the raccoon replied. "We have a lead."

"That's great!" Nick exclaimed, sounding genuinely excited. "Thanks for doing that, Connor. Make sure to tell Bogo, okay?"

The raccoon nodded, despite the fact that Nick couldn't see him. "You're welcome, and you got it," Connor said. He hesitated as another thought came to him. "So, uh, how are you and Judy holding up?"

The silence that ensued was deafening. Both Connor and Brandon could tell that a chord had been struck, that the question was the wrong thing to ask. In an almost desperate anticipation, the two mammals waited for the fox's reply.

"Well, it was good talking to you guys again. Thanks for the info! Bye!" With that, Nick hung up the phone. His tone was generally the same as before, but Connor and Brandon could tell that it was masking something deeper. Whatever that was, they couldn't tell, but they couldn't help but feel that they dodged a bullet.

"Hey, Brandon!" came a voice from behind, startling the raccoon and panther. They turned to see Snarlov standing at the door. "I'm taking your place. You're free to go." The polar bear jerked a thumb behind him to emphasize his point.

Brandon quickly composed himself and turned to his raccoon friend. "Alright, you behave, got it? I'll see you around."

Connor shrugged him off as a part of their usual banter. "Pshh, you know you'll miss me," he chuckled.

"Yep! I get to cry myself to sleep again," Brandon laughed as he made his way to the exit. He barely heard Connor's snarky reply as he passed Snarlov and began the trek to the main lobby. The panther felt like he needed some rest, despite having a relatively easy day.

He waved to Clawhauser after clocking out and acknowledged any officer that he passed by. Soon enough, he stepped out into the chilly night air. The wind gently nipped at the panther's fur, but it didn't bother him. He rather enjoyed the cooler weather, especially after a hard day's work.

Brandon quickly found his car, which was nothing incredibly special. Once inside, the panther retrieved his phone and dialed another number. The call picked up almost immediately, much to the cop's surprise.

"Yes?" came the rough voice. While it was from an older mammal, the voice held some similar qualities to Nick's, which never failed to surprise Brandon.

"Hey, Vic," the panther greeted as he began to pull out of the parking lot. "Just calling to let you know that they've _finally_ analyzed your uniform. They've got your number now, so to speak."

Victor laughed. "Really? That's great! What took them so long?" he asked in a merry tone. Brandon smirked; his theory about Victor being bored was correct.

"Oh, I subtly dropped a hint or two. Luckily, the ZPD hired a new guy onto the forensics team, so it didn't take five years," the panther joked.

"Well, thank you! Does my son know?" came the next question.

"Yes. We called him immediately after the scan. Bogo should know very soon, too, so there's that," came Brandon's answer.

"Perfect. The rest of my plan can finally be put into motion! You've done well, Brandon. Get some rest; you've earned it." With that, Victor hung up, leaving the panther in silence.

"Oh, I plan to," Brandon smiled as he pulled up to the apartment complex where his flat was located. Right now, rest sounded perfect.

* * *

The door to Nick and Judy's apartment opened without any ceremony. Nick entered first. His fur was bristling just slightly, and his face was set in a near-permanent scowl. However, he looked more tired than angry as he made a beeline for the bedroom.

Judy entered after him and closed the door behind her. Her eyes were puffy and her fur was matted, the telltale sign that tears had been shed. Her ears drooped behind her back, and her movements were slow and lethargic. She seemed tired as well, though her despair was clear as day.

The talk hadn't quite gone as she had planned, leaving both mammals in an emotional tizzy. The bunny hoped that a good night's rest would help smooth everything out, but even her positive side had doubts that things would be easier in the morning.

Judy made her way to the bedroom at a sluggish pace, her energy drained from the events of the day. She saw that Nick had haphazardly discarded his clothes and now lay in the bed, snoring lightly. Most nights, the sight would have put a smile on the bunny's face, but not tonight. Tonight was different – _had_ to be different. She had heard Nick's conversation with Connor on the phone, and she knew what had been found. With the new evidence, the ZPD could start really searching for Victor Wilde and put a stop to him.

But Nick wasn't invited.

He was too emotionally attached to the case, as was told by his outburst at the Penitentiary earlier. Judy sighed as she began to undress. She could only imagine the pain that her fox had to go through, knowing that his father was a now-known criminal who was causing turmoil in the city. Judy came from a family-oriented culture, while Nick had only known his mother. They were polar opposites in every way, and the bunny was sure that Victor knew that.

A mighty yawn escaped her throat, derailing the train of thought that was going through Judy's head. Her tired body now on autopilot, she climbed into bed next to her fox, but something felt off. Taking a moment to clear her mind enough for coherent thought, Judy realized that Nick was facing _away_ from her, his body closed off to any nighttime cuddling. A pang of sadness stabbed at the bunny's heart as she reluctantly turned to face away from Nick as well.

The bed felt cold without Nick's arms around her and empty without his body pressed up against hers. Judy began to gently shiver despite the thick blanket that lay atop her. Then she felt it. A soft, fuzzy feeling washing over her entire body and ridding her of the shivers. Thoughts of how she and Nick could fix everything once Victor was caught played through the bunny's mind, filling her with hope for a bright future and helping her forget all about the ugly present.

It was with a sad smile that Judy fell into a dreamless slumber.

 **Wait! Before you all go grabbing your torches and pitchforks, just know that the anti-fluff will only be around for a few more chapters! I promise it'll get better if you guys are just a bit patient. Trust me, it's getting harder and harder to write these chapters, but I feel that I'm getting some great practice with this tone.**

 **It was nice to bring Connor back, but it also seems that Victor has eyes and ears** _ **everywhere**_ **, huh? I bet you're all confused as to what he's planning, and I'm gonna keep it that way, albeit, there will be a few hints dropped here and there. Keep a sharp eye out, because I'm giving enough hints to give you an idea of what's going on while holding back the full picture! It wouldn't be a good mystery without that, right?**

 **Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Until next time!**


	20. Aftermath

**Alright, so here we have some lighter anti-fluff; not super emotional, but not super fluffy either.**

The piercing sound of the alarm woke Judy from her slumber, much to the bunny's reluctance. She groggily opened her eyes and went to stretch out the last bits of sleep out of her system. Her arms, however, were currently trapped in the arms of her husband. It took Judy's sleep-ridden mind a few moments to realize that at some point during the night, Nick had subconsciously rolled over and assumed their usual sleeping position.

Judy knew she should have been happy with this situation. She knew she should have reveled in the warmth that her husband provided. But she couldn't bring herself to fully enjoy being wrapped up in Nick. The thought that he did this only because he had been asleep further fueled the doubts that had sparked over the course of yesterday's events.

Nick's outburst at the Penitentiary played on repeat in the bunny's mind. It was like a bad movie that just wouldn't be ignored. Judy's only consolation was that they _had_ managed to talk something out on the drive home, even if it wasn't what she had expected.

Shaking her head, Judy focused on the task at hand. She slowly peeled off Nick's arms from around her body, almost regretting it as his warmth was replaced with the chill of the morning. Once the bunny was free of her husband's embrace, she stretched and yawned, chasing away whatever amount of sleep remained.

She turned to Nick, wondering if she should wake him before she went to shower. Based on his behavior yesterday, she wasn't sure if a good night's rest was enough to cool him off. However, they still had a job to do today. With only a little bit of hesitation, Judy bent over and gently kissed Nick's snout, which immediately began to wiggle. The sight put a small smile on Judy's face, though the bunny didn't stay for the fox's awakening; she had a shower to take.

The hot water sifted through her gray fur, reaching the skin beneath. It was always rejuvenating, the shower. Judy could feel her troubles wash away as she scrubbed herself clean. Usually, the bunny was in and out of the shower like lightning; having way too many brothers and sisters to count meant quick showers or shared showers, and Judy hadn't been all for sharing with her siblings. However, she couldn't help but take her time this morning. There were just too many thoughts in her mind to sort through, so what better time than while the soothingly warm water ran through her fur?

As she thought over her talk with Nick during the ride home last night, she heard said fox sleepily enter the bathroom. "Carrots?" he croaked over the sound of the running water. Judy could see him rubbing his eyes from behind the shower curtain.

The bunny braced herself for however this conversation could go. "Good morning, Nick," she said in a sweet voice as she began to rinse off the lather that she had worked into her fur. "Did you sleep well?"

She heard the fox mumble something in response. And then, more clearly, "You gonna be much longer? I still have to get ready for work, too, you know." He sounded somewhat irritated, but Judy blamed that on his usual morning attitude. A stressed Nick was a grumpily tired Nick.

"Yeah, just let me finish rinsing," the bunny answered back. She could see Nick nod in response from behind the shower curtain. After about a minute, Judy exited the shower. She stepped to the side as she reached for a towel, giving the fox access to the shower.

"I hope you left me enough hot water," she heard Nick grumble. Judy felt a flash of anger rising at the comment, but quickly ignored it. It was too early to start the events of last night again. Her body on autopilot by this point, Judy began her morning routine: brushing her teeth, drying her fur via the wonderful invention that was the full-body fur dryer, and combing down any and all rebellious patches afterward.

Judy finished and exited the bathroom just as Nick turned the shower off. She quickly made a beeline for the closet, where she retrieved her uniform. The custom engravings gave the bunny pause. To think that the anniversary of her marriage to Nick had just been a few weeks ago was almost impossible. As the bunny fought back a swell of emotions, she read what had been sewn into the collar of the blue undershirt:

 _To my favorite bunny: You know I love you ~ Your favorite fox_

Judy felt a wave of hope wash over her as she read and reread the message. It was right: no matter what, she and Nick still loved each other. They could get through this mess as long as they had each other. With her positive side winning out, Judy began to put on the uniform, feeling as excited for the day as she had been on her first day in Zootopia those three years back.

Upon entering the kitchen, the bunny began to brew some coffee – the perfect pick-me-up for Nick and her. She continued to imagine all the good that could come out of today while the essential beverage brewed. A few minutes later, as she was pouring a cup for herself and her fox, Nick entered the kitchen, looking rather handsome in his uniform.

"Morning, Slick," Judy cheerfully greeted as she handed over his cup of coffee. "You ready to make the world a better place?"

Nick made a sound that was a mix of a chuckle and a scoff, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Someone's in a perky mood today," he commented before taking a sip from his mug. Judy noticed that Nick's tone of voice was _off._ It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm, either. It was a neutral tone that reminded the bunny of the first time she had met the fox. Back in his conning days.

"Well, I took a good look at this uniform this morning, and I remembered the special night a certain fox treated me to," the bunny explained in a coy tone, hoping to keep the mood light between them.

Again, Nick made the scoff/laugh sound, but his eyes were visibly warmer than before, even if it was only a small amount. "Well, I'm sure that fox had a fun time too," he joked before a sudden sadness seemed to fall over him. "Look, Judy, I thought about what you said last night."

"I said a _lot_ of things last night," Judy stated matter-of-factly as she took a sip of her coffee. "You'll have to be more specific."

She noticed the flicker of irritation in Nick's eyes just before it diminished with the fox's sigh. "I'm talking about the things you said about me trying to find Victor when it isn't my case. You're right, I shouldn't be acting this stupid. I'll just end up making a stupid mistake that'll hurt the both of us in some way."

Judy paused, her body still in the act of bringing the mug to her lips. With slow movements, the bunny turned to Nick. "So, you're not going to visit Wild Times today?" she asked with a small amount of hesitation.

Nick quickly glanced at Judy before shaking his head. "Yeah, not worth it. I've already had _one_ nasty experience with that place; I'd rather not make it two," he reasoned with a cold, joking tone.

With careful movements, Judy set her cup on the counter and gently wrapped her arms around the fox's waist. She didn't say anything, as she was sure that the hug conveyed her message over. To her dismay, however, the fox didn't return the hug. "Careful, Carrots. You don't want me to spill my coffee," the fox teased, though his voice lacked its usual warmth.

Judy ignored this fact as the released Nick from her embrace. "I wouldn't dare deprive my husband of his morning fuel," she joked as she returned to her own cup of coffee. "That would be disastrous!"

"Oh, come on, Carrots. I'm not _that_ bad!" Nick shot back, the hint of a sly grin forming on his muzzle. "Right?"

Judy smiled from behind her cup of coffee. _There_ was the Nick she knew and loved. "Do you really want me to answer that?" she asked with a half-lidded smiled.

Nick shot back his own signature grin. "Only if the answer is yes."

The bunny suppressed a giggle as she finished her morning pick-me-up. "Then I'm afraid I won't be answering," she stated as she set the mug in the sink. "Finish up your coffee, Slick. We've got work to do."

"What happened to the Judy who _didn't_ like work?" Nick asked as he downed the rest of his coffee. "I want her back."

Judy scoffed and opened her mouth to retort before she paused. She considered making a joke out of how he hadn't immediately cuddled with her last night, hoping to make light of the situation. But she could see in Nick's eyes that he still felt some of the anger and doubt from yesterday, though not as strong. The bunny mentally sighed; it was too early to be joking about the case and how it was affecting the both of them.

"She came to her senses, Slick," the bunny retorted, though her cheerful demeanor was somewhat dampened. "When you work next to such a handsome fox, it's hard to hate your job." She winked at Nick from over her shoulder as she made her way to the door.

Nick chuckled, and Judy was sure that he caught himself staring as he suddenly cleared his throat. "While I can't blame her, I still miss her. She was great in bed." Judy swore she could hear his eyebrows wiggling, though she didn't blush. Their usual, joking banter didn't feel right, especially after a day like yesterday. Maybe she could talk to her parents or Rachel for any advice on how to deal with this whole situation.

"Alright Slick, let's get to work," Judy shot over her shoulder, hoping that she had on her sudden, depressed mood well enough as to not raise any suspicion from the fox.

* * *

Elk were known to frequent the Deciduous District more often than not. The main reason being that many had grand "displays" atop their heads, making it hard to comfortably live in any other district. That didn't stop Derrick Entler from running for mayor. He made many choices to help him reach the top. He spent extended periods of time living in each district, learning the ins and outs of the different citizens and getting comfortable with maneuvering his mighty pair of antlers around the different environments. His campaign was directed at both predator and prey, both of whom were still wary around each other due to the repercussions of the Night Howler Case and the Hunter Incident.

Finally, Derrick made sure to befriend the Chief of Police – a worthwhile alliance should something try to get out of the new mayor's control.

Mayor Entler gazed out the office window, looking out over the grand city of Zootopia. Truly, it was a miraculous city: built on a watering hole hundreds of years ago, it had grown surprisingly well, despite all the trouble between predator and prey. Granted, Entler himself had his limits when it came to dealing with the meat-eating mammals of the city, but he strove not to let that get in the way of his duties to the citizens. This was something he prided himself on.

A voice sounded from the intercom on the desk, drawing the elk away from his musings. "Mayor Entler? Your six o'clock is here to see you," said the receptionist. She was a cute, young doe who would have caught the buck's eye if he wasn't already married to the love of his life.

With a smile on his face, Entler pressed the button on the intercom. "Send him in." He leaned back in his chair as he waited for the arrival of his good friend.

Chief Bogo entered the office seconds later, dressed in his usual work blues. He didn't have his usual scowl that he saved for work; instead, he wore a faint smile as he greeted the mayor. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Derrick," the buffalo began as he took a seat.

Entler waved him off. "It's my pleasure, really. Anything for my childhood friend," he exclaimed with weak flamboyance.

Bogo snorted at the phrase. True, the two had known each other for a long time, but both were aware of their different ideals and perspectives. "Sure. I think you're just trying to butter me up due to the fact that I voted for the other guy."

Entler laughed aloud at this comment. "You would, wouldn't you?" the elk continued laughing, and Bogo joined in. It took only a minute for the two friends to settle down and get to business. "Anyway, what was it that you wanted to see me for?"

The buffalo sighed as he chose his words carefully. "I'm sure you're aware of the trouble that has been going on in the city as of late, yes?" Bogo asked, his serious tone a stark contrast to his boisterous laughter just moments before.

Entler gave a somber nod. "Yes, unfortunately. Bellwether being attacked, riots breaking out over the city, and whatever happened to Wilde and Hopps last week." The mayor sighed. "Even _I_ find myself getting emotionally tired just thinking about all of this."

Bogo nodded in agreement. "We all do. I honestly look forward to the day that this is all finished, but I'm afraid we can't get there without your help."

Entler quirked an eyebrow as he regarded the cape buffalo before him. "What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely curious as to the chief's plans. He leaned forward, giving his friend his full attention.

"The people of this city need someone they can trust. Right now, that's not Wilde and Hopps, what with their unfortunate ties to Victor Wilde. Through that logic, I'm sure the already wary citizens of this city would be a bit untrusting of the ZPD as a whole. Most already are, seeing as I haven't fired Wilde and Hopps, nor do I plan to." Bogo sighed heavily.

Entler gave a thoughtful nod as he considered what the buffalo said. "So, are you thinking we do something like a rally or press conference?" he asked, trying to get specific details from the chief.

"Anything that would get the citizens to listen to you." Bogo shrugged. "You'll have ZDP protection, of course, but the people need to know that there is someone that they can trust."

"I see," Entler said with a nod. "What time were you hoping I would host this conference?"

"As soon as possible," the chief replied. "Maybe even this morning, if you can manage it."

The mayor scoffed. "This morning!? Man, talk about putting me on the spot!" he exclaimed with a tone that Bogo couldn't quite pinpoint. It _sounded_ somewhat agitated, but the elk didn't look it.

Again, the chief shrugged. "That's only if you can manage it. Like I said, the citizens need someone they know they can trust while we at the ZPD get this whole mess fixed, so the sooner the better."

Silence fell over the two as Entler weighed the option out in his mind. Bogo was right: the people needed someone they could stand behind and fast, or else more innocent mammals were going to get hurt. On the other hand, such a press conference could quickly go south should any violent and bigoted mammals make their way into the crowd. The ZPD would be there for such an occasion, yes, but was that a risk the elk was willing to take?

"I'll do it," the mayor finally spoke, shattering the silence. He met Bogo's eyes. "I'll get the press called up and let them know. You just make sure your officers are ready for whatever could happen."

The chief nodded. "Of course. What time are you planning on?" he asked.

Entler smiled. "Oh, I'm sure I can come up with a riveting speech within the hour or so. You're right: the sooner, the better. I'll shoot for this morning, but it will really depend on how fast the press gets here."

Bogo gave a relieved smile. "Thank you so much. This means a lot to me," he said as he stood to leave.

"But of course," Entler replied as he stood too. "This is my city as well. If anything can be done to help, rest assured that I'll do it." The two friends exited the office as Entler personally escorted the much larger Chief Bogo to the elevator.

"Again, thank you for this," Bogo said as he crossed the threshold into the small room.

"It'll be my pleasure. I'll make sure to call and let you know what time the press arrive," the mayor said as the elevator doors began to close. Once he was sure that his friend was well on his way, Entler returned to his office. He had a speech to write.

* * *

By the time Nick and Judy arrived at the ZPD Headquarters, the general tension that came from yesterday had settled again. The two seemed to repel each other as they walked along, though not enough to draw any confused stares their way. However, one particular receptionist saw right through their subtle act and was devastated.

"Nick, Judy, how are you guys today?" Clawhauser greeted, hoping that he seemed cheery enough. He could tell that something was off with the two officers, that much was certain.

Seeing as they had arrived early, like they usually did, Nick and Judy stopped and greeted the cheetah. "Hey Ben," Judy said almost too cheerfully. "I'm doing great! How about you?"

Nick, on the other hand, gave the flabby feline a smirk that didn't reach his eyes and a quick nod. Clawhauser, of course, noticed both reactions from the officers and felt a spike of panic drive through his heart. There was something _serious_ going on between these two, but not the "good" serious. The cheetah wondered why no one else seemed to notice.

"Ben?" Judy asked, drawing the receptionist away from his musings.

"Hmm?" Clawhauser mumbled, his attention refocusing on the conversation at hand. He then shook his head to clear his mind before answering Judy's first question. "Oh, I'm fine. Just same old, same old, you know? I recently put up a profile on this dating site – just for fun, I'll have you know."

When Nick smirked at the cheetah again, it was genuine. "Oh really, for ' _fun?_ '" he teased. He turned to Judy. "I think our little Benji has finally become a man! How's your profile doing? Who dared you to make it? Have you met any lovely ladies?"

Judy couldn't help but smile as well. "Yeah, come on Ben! We need the details!" she playfully pressed.

Clawhauser saw the immediate change. Just moments before, Nick and Judy were somewhat distant with each other, as if they had just argued with each other and couldn't see eye to eye, no matter how hard they tried. But now, they were their usual selves: teasing, playful, and seemingly ready to take on the world. This confused the cheetah, and he was determined to get to the bottom of this.

But first, he had a dating profile to reveal.

With a faint, embarrassed blush in his ears, Clawhauser began to pull up his dating site on the computer. "Actually, Wolfard dared me to join. I think he was trying to get back at me for suddenly walking into his office while he was making out with Jenna." He couldn't help but happily smile at the memory, though he was still a bit embarrassed that he had witnessed such an act. "They're so adorable together, just like you two!" he squealed, though he paid close attention to the two officers' reactions.

Just like he suspected, their cheerful expressions faltered ever so slightly. Granted, it was subtle enough that anyone passing by would have missed it, but Clawhauser didn't. He could see that whatever was going on between them, it went deeper than just an argument or two. However, the cheetah refused to let them worry about that, and instead distracted them with his new dating profile.

"So, I made sure to be completely honest. I've seen enough movies where the guy who lies on his dating profile goes through too much trouble before him and the girl actually get together in the end," he explained, drawing Nick and Judy's attention to the screen.

"Ah, Z-Harmony. I've heard that site was good," Nick muttered more to himself than anything. "You chose well, Ben. I don't know what I would do if you were on one of the crappier sights," he stated with a mock dramatic tone in his voice, eliciting a silent chuckle from Judy.

"What, you thought all this cheetah," Ben gestured to his flabby self, "was gonna be put on just _any_ market? I'm insulted, Nick," he teased. He felt his ears burn just a bit more when both officers laughed out loud.

"I think you've been spending too much time with us," Judy joked back, the smile on her face nice and bright. "You're starting to sound like Nick."

"And what's wrong with that?" Nick shot back with a tone of false offense. " _I_ think that Clawhauser hasn't spent _enough_ time with us! He's always cooped up behind this desk all day."

"Hey, that's not true," the cheetah exclaimed, pretending to be hurt. "I have _some_ free time every now and then."

"And what do you do during that time?" Judy asked, genuinely curious as to her friend's out-of-work activities. Nick's ears perked towards the cheetah, showing that he, too, was curious.

Clawhauser tried not to smile, which was _very_ hard for him, considering that smiling was second nature to the feline. "I try to get unstuck from behind this desk." As soon as the words left his mouth, he lost it. He began laughing at his own joke and the mental image that came with it.

Nick and Judy couldn't help but laugh either. "I'm telling you: _way_ too much time with us," Judy stated again. Her mood, however, had improved since their talk with Clawhauser.

"And I'm saying he hasn't spent enough time. For real, we need to invite him over more often," Nick suggested, though it sounded more like an afterthought if his thoughtful tone was anything to go by.

It took a few moments, but the cheetah finally calmed down enough to speak coherently again. He wiped a tear from his eye as he turned back to the two officers. "Anyway, I filled in my profile and whatnot. My profile pic is from that Precinct One photo shoot that we had a few years ago."

"Haven't you lost weight since then?" Nick asked as he studied the profile on the screen. So far, it looked good; he was sure that there would be a few users of the female gender who would see Clawhauser for who he really was thanks to his honesty on the site.

The cheetah nodded. "I have. I think that if people see me like that first, then they could see how much I've changed, health-wise. Besides, I don't have any good recent pictures," he admitted, sounding a bit embarrassed.

Judy quirked an eyebrow. "What about those selfies we would all take together? You always looked good in those," she asked. Nick nodded in agreement and turned to the receptionist with a curious gleam in his eyes.

Clawhauser's ears grew a deeper shade of red under his fur. "Well, you see, I don't want people to date me just because I'm friends with you guys, you know. It wouldn't be a healthy relationship at all, and what if the person just wants to get close to you to hurt you? I would never forgive myself if I had been the cause of that," he muttered, drooping in on himself.

Nick and Judy were both rather impressed with their cheetah friend. He really wasn't just a flabby, donut-loving cop who greeted everyone with the latest bit of Gazelle gossip.

"Well, shoot. Thanks, Ben," Nick finally stated, shattering the silence that had fallen over the group. "That means a lot to us."

Judy hummed in agreement before hopping onto the counter and giving Clawhauser the biggest hug she could muster. "I'm sure whoever you find will be the luckiest mammal in the world. Well, besides _me_ , that is, but you get the point," she added with a teasing tone, eliciting a chuckle and a smile from the cheetah.

"Thank _you,_ guys. Without you just being here, I don't think I'd ever have worked up the courage to do it in the first place, even though Wolfard dared me." Ben watched as Judy leaped off the desk and landed next to Nick. To his relief, she seemed content staying closer to the fox than she had been when they first entered the lobby.

"Alright, well, we've got to get to roll call. See you later, Ben!" Judy waved as she and Nick began making their way to the bullpen.

"You guys have fun!" Clawhauser waved back, feeling pleased that he hopefully helped them get over – or at least forget – some of whatever had them down earlier. He turned back to his screen with the intention to close out of his dating profile when a notification popped up.

It was a new friend request from one Stacy Felin.

* * *

If the officers had been oblivious to Nick's and Judy's attitudes towards each other before, they were well aware of them now. The fox and bunny hardly glanced at each other, let alone greeted any of the other officers, as they made their way to their usual seat. Nick scrambled up the chair first, followed by Judy. Other officers began to worry as they noticed that neither had helped the other.

The few officers who had been against their relationship from the beginning were starting to see the proof of _why_ they were against them. Two completely different mammals just couldn't get along _that_ well for an extended period of time, and with how much Nick and Judy spent together, that moment was long overdue.

Before anyone could speak up, however, Chief Bogo entered the room. The customary greeting that the chief got was a bit lackluster this time, as everyone was distracted by the fox and bunny officers. Bogo noticed both the distraction of his officers and the change in demeanor from the two small officers, but he chose to ignore those for now. There were more important matters at hand.

"Alright, alright, enough!" the chief bellowed, putting an end to the sorry ruckus that tried to be the usual greeting. "If you can't do it right, then don't do it at all. Now sit, all of you! We have some very important things to discuss today.

"First off, I recently talked with the mayor about setting up a press conference to try and quell the fears of the citizens for the time being. He agreed. The conference is scheduled to take place in front of City Hall in about an hour or so. We expect a rather large turnout of mammals who may be prone to violence, so most of you will be tasked with crowd control. The lucky ones get to go about their usual days, patrolling the city and whatnot. Do I make myself clear?" Bogo's gaze swept the room, looking for any questions or concerns from his officers. He found none.

"Sir, yes sir!" Came the reply. On the inside, the chief proudly smiled at his officers. On the outside, he kept on his usual scowl as he nodded.

"Good. Now, we'll move on to assignments. First: crowd control. When I call your name, I want you to stand and leave the bullpen so I can make sure that I didn't miss anybody. You are to head straight for the armory and await further instructions, is that clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" the entire room replied.

Again, Bogo nodded his approval. "Officers on crowd control this morning are as follows: Delgato, Wolfard, Fangmeyer, Pennington, Trunkaby, Rhinowitz, Snarlov, Higgins, and McHorn." By the time the buffalo had finished his list, a good chunk of the officers in the room was gone. Those who remained awaited their orders, including Nick and Judy.

"Before I move on, is there anyone who would rather be on crowd control?" Bogo spoke up. Sure, the bigger mammals were usually the go-to choice when it came to dealing with larger crowds, but it never hurt to have smaller mammals on duty. This addition alone was very useful when dealing with smaller press conference in a crowd.

A few paws were raised. Bogo felt a small twinge of relief to see that the officers those paws belonged to were of the smaller variety: a bobcat, a goat, and a ram. After the chief gave them a nod of approval, the three mammals exited the room, leaving behind a decent number of officers.

The chief's eyes swept over the room, lingering a split second more on the fox and bunny sitting almost directly in front of him. "Now, as for the rest of you," the buffalo bellowed. "I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunists out there today. I'm also sure that they think that a last-minute press conference means a few mistakes on the ZPD's part, including forgetting to keep tabs on the rest of City Center. Well, they thought wrong. The rest of you are on patrol duty; keep our streets safe, is that clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" the rest of the officers replied. It consisted of the voices of fewer mammals before, but it was still just as spirited as before. Bogo allowed a tiny smile to grace his lips. He didn't just have any plain officers under his belt; he had the best.

"Dismissed! Get out there and make the ZPD proud!" Bogo bellowed, and the remaining officers began to file out of the room. As Nick and Judy left, the cape buffalo suddenly realized something. On a good day, Wilde would have at least tried to get one tiny snarky comment in during the briefing. Whether that was to lighten the mood when the case was unusually severe or just to entertain his wife, Bogo didn't know, but he had come to expect it from the fox.

Neither Hopps nor Wilde had spoken one word out of line that morning.

The chief knew he should have been grateful. He was aware that he should have counted his blessings and written this date on his calendar to celebrate the day that neither of his two smallest officers talked back. But Bogo couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Nick and Judy.

Memories of his talk with Wilde a few days ago came to mind, further solidifying the chief's theory. As Bogo made his way back to his office, he could only hope that both he and Nick were making the right decision.

* * *

The thing about last-minute press conferences was that it was last-minute, meaning that there hadn't been any news or rumors about it beforehand. This fact was blatantly revealed as Nick and Judy drove along one of the main streets of City Center. Mammals of all sizes and species went about their typical day, most of them clueless to the event taking place at City Hall. But, once the reporters and news stations would soon broadcast the live feed, most of the citizens of Zootopia would know what was going on.

"You wanna listen to it on the radio, Nick?" Judy quietly asked. A steady silence had grown between the two as they drove, and the bunny was quickly becoming tired of it.

Nick seemed to have noticed this, for he only nodded in response before turning his attention back to the street. With a silent "thank you," Judy turned on the radio and quickly found the correct channel.

 _'-e'll be coming to you live with the mayor's sudden press conference.'_ Judy sat back as the anchorman continued to babble on about how great a mayor Entler was. Granted, the bunny liked him too, but she quickly grew tired of the overabundance of praise given to the elk. Understandably, Nick wasn't so fond of the prey mayor, but he certainly liked him more than Bellwether.

Judy decided to help pass the time with small talk until the press conference started. "So Nick, what do you think Mayor Entler wants to address?" she asked, glancing at her partner.

Nick's ears twitched in her direction, the only indicator that he had heard her. His eyes continued to scan the streets, and his body remained still and rigid. Judy had rarely seen her fox so "professional" before, and it unnerved her. She had found that whenever Nick got like this, it was because he was busy trying to get over something that he shouldn't be going through alone.

Judy turned towards her partner and placed a gentle, loving paw on his arm. "Nick, what's wrong?" she asked. The bunny braced herself for a lashing out from Nick as she was determined to stand her ground.

The fox sighed, and his posture relaxed, much to Judy's relief. "It's nothing, Carrots," Nick lied as he gave the bunny a quick side-glance. "Just tired, is all."

"Did you not sleep well?" Judy gently prodded further. _Was it because you didn't cuddle with your wife?_ she added, thinking back to how she had woken up that morning.

Nick shrugged as he continued to scan the streets. More and more mammals were receiving updates on the conference as told by many of them turning their attentions to their phones or nearby television screens. Even the radio was growing quiet as the mayor was getting ready to speak. "Not physically tired, Carrots. Though, if and when Victor is caught, I'm gonna need to sleep for a week." Had it not been for the fox's exhausted tone of voice, this could have come off as a joke.

Judy nodded in agreement. "I feel ya. These past few weeks have been stressful. And right after our anniversary, too," the bunny added with a sigh. Her ears flopped down behind her back, and her somewhat cheerful attitude soured. Nick gave no sign of acknowledgment to the bunny's change in demeanor, and instead continued to do his job.

Voices from the radio caught the officers' attention. Judy decided to distract herself by gazing at the device while Nick's ears were the only indication that he was listening. Currently, the anchorman greeted the general audience before turning the feed over to the press-conference. Mayor Entler's smooth voice emanated through the cruiser's speakers.

 _'Hello, my fellow citizens,_ the mayor greeted. _I know that this conference was quite sudden, but believe me, had I understood the severity of this city's current situation, I would have done this sooner.'_ The crowd's curious murmuring could be heard on the radio.

Judy was a bit intrigued as to what Entler meant by "severity of this city's current situation." Surely, the riots weren't _that_ bad, right?

 _'Not only are fellow mammals attacking each other out of fear, but deeper relationships between predator and prey are being tested and worn out! Close friends are growing distant to each other, and new relationships or partnerships aren't being considered, all due to this fear that hangs over Zootopia,'_ the power in the mayor's voice increased as he continued talking. It was no surprise that the elk was skilled in public speaking.

 _'I know that a lot of you are scared, confused, and angry. Were I in your position, I probably would be, too. But I'm not, because I still have faith in the predator population of this city. A good friend of mine once told me not to hold the sins of one mammal against all of his species. Just because one fox, let alone a predator, attack Bellwether earlier this week does_ not _mean that every other predator is held accountable!'_ The murmuring in the crowd grew somewhat angry. Whether it was anger at the predators or anger at those who lashed out at innocent predators, Nick nor Judy could decipher. Suffice it to say, the mayor's words were getting the people riled up.

But were they the right people to rile?

 _'It has also come to my attention that as of right now, you had no name, no face behind the mammal who had given you all such strife. Luckily, thanks to recent developments, the ZPD has been able to reveal the true identity of Bellwether's attacker!'_

Nick and Judy did a double take, both now staring at the radio. The officers were lucky that they had stopped at a red light.

"What!?" was all Judy could manage before the mayor continued talking.

' _Yes, my fellow citizens, you heard right. The ZPD has found the true identity of the mammal who attacked Bellwether. Granted, the ewe had been known for how she had felt about predators, but she was on her way to repentance, to change. She had accepted her mistakes and moved past them; apparently, this mammal couldn't.'_

A faint voice sounded from the radio. _'Well? Who is this guy!?'_ asked a random member of the crowd. Nick and Judy continued to avidly listen to the mayor, even going as far as to gently lean in towards the device.

 _'Don't worry, my friend, I will get to that. I was lucky enough to be granted the permission to share this with all of you personally by my good friend Chief Bogo.'_ Nick's tail began to furiously twitch behind him, the telltale sign of the fox's agitation. Judy, on the other hand, grew wary of her husband. The angry aura that began to emanate off of the fox tickled all of Judy's flight or fight instincts, screaming at her to get out of there. _'Through extensive examination of the evidence and thorough interrogations of key eyewitnesses, the ZPD have come to the conclusion that one Victor Wilde was behind Bellwether's attack.'_

A collective gasp ran through the crowd and out the radio, reaching Judy. Nick's ire only increased with each passing second of the mayor talking. His fur began to bristle, and his hackles began to rise. He didn't even try to suppress the growl that escaped his throat. Judy involuntarily inched away from the fox.

 _'Please, listen to me!'_ the mayor was saying, his voice easily rising above the din of shouting mammals. _'With this knowledge, the ZPD ask that you refrain from attacking anyone you may_ think _to be associated with Victor Wilde. Yes, that does include Officers Wilde and Hopps. The ZPD promises that they're doing their best to catch this fox, but they will not tolerate mammals who want to "help." Trust me; you'll only end up tearing the city apart._

 _'If you need my "seal of approval," know that I completely trust Officer Wilde and his wife, as does the ZPD. I also trust all of you to take my warning to heart. This city does not need more strife during these stressful times. So please, join me in keeping the peace. Put your trust in me and the ZPD, and let us handle everything.'_ The crowd exploded into a bunch of angry yells and urgent questions, but by the sound of things, the mayor's speech was over. Judy quickly turned off the radio before the noise became too much to bear.

An unsteady silence grew between the fox and rabbit as the seconds ticked by. Judy decided to keep her mouth shut, knowing that she was already walking on thin ice with Nick's current attitude. His fur still bristled, his hackles were still raised. His growling had stopped, but Judy was sure that it was ready to spring back up at any second.

Finally, Nick spoke. "I _can't_ believe the chief would do that!" he angrily exclaimed, slamming his paw on the steering wheel. Judy flinched at the impact, but remained quiet. It was probably best to let Nick vent his frustrations.

"How did he even find out!? Did he know this before we did? If so, then he could have at least told me!" Judy was surprised that through his anger, Nick was still able to drive somewhat safely.

The fox continued to vent for about another minute, asking himself rhetorical questions while Judy continued to warily gaze at her husband. She had come to know Nick as dangerously unpredictable when he got like this, and she didn't want to be in the way should he suddenly get physically aggressive.

Suddenly, the bunny felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out of her pocket as she kept a close eye on the fox sitting next to her. It was a text from Jack Savage. _Just watched the press conference. Do you wanna have lunch and talk about it?_

"Carrots?" Nick asked, finally getting the bunny's attention. Somewhat startled and unsure of what the fox wanted, Judy carefully acknowledged her partner.

"Yes?" she asked quietly. She braced herself for whatever Nick might throw her way.

"I need to talk with the chief about this. I don't think you wanna see me angry right now, so do you want me to drop you off somewhere? I'll be sure to pick you up when I'm finished," the fox suggested, his voice surprisingly calm. Judy felt a wave of warmth rush through her as she realized how considerate Nick was being.

The bunny glanced down at her phone and quickly reread the text from Jack. Looking back to Nick, Judy nodded. "If you don't mind," she stated, surprised that her voice wasn't a fearful whisper.

The fox nodded before turning back to the street. "Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"Just take me to Main Street," Judy said as she quickly mapped out possible restaurants in the area. "I can find some lunch there."

"Sounds good. I'll text you when I'm finished ranting at Bogo." Nick, having known the city longer than Judy, had no trouble finding Main Street from their current location. Nothing much was said between the fox and rabbit during the drive, and only a simple goodbye was exchanged before they temporarily parted ways.

Judy quickly dialed Jack's number into her phone as she began walking down the street. The aroma of dozens of restaurants wafted through the air, awakening the bunny's hungry stomach. A loud growl from her bowels caused Judy to blush slightly as Jack finally picked up.

"Yes?" came his smooth, English accent.

"Hey Jack, it's Judy. Where do you want to meet?"

* * *

Entler always felt small in his limo. With his massive antlers, he had to ride in a rhino-sized vehicle just so he could be comfortable. While he'd never get rid of or prune his show of masculinity among his species, he did find it rather inconvenient from time to time.

Suddenly, the elk's phone began to ring, gently startling the mayor. He retrieved his phone from his pocket and glanced at the caller. The ID made his skin go white under his fur.

His throat going dry, Entler carefully answered the phone and brought it up to his ear. However, he wasn't going to show weakness to the fox that seemed bent on plaguing Zootopia; not if the elk's pride had anything to say about it, anyway. "What do you want, Victor?" he asked in a harsh tone that expertly masked the nervousness the buck was feeling.

A gravelly chuckle sounded from the phone's receiver. "You can drop the tough guy act, Derrick. It won't help your case at all," Victor's voice taunted, sending cold chills down Entler's spine. "Besides, I'm just calling to congratulate you on your speech. It was exactly what I expected from you."

Entler felt a rush of relief flow through him. "So, does that mean you'll let my family go?" he asked with a shaky voice.

Again, the fox chuckled. "Yes, don't worry. They'll be _completely_ safe. I'll _personally_ drive them home, if that makes you feel any better."

 _Unsurprisingly, it doesn't_ , Entler thought to himself, but he kept his mouth shut; he didn't want to suddenly invoke Victor to do something that the elk would regret. "As long as they're safe," the mayor replied with a defeated tone.

"Of course they'll be safe. I'm a fox of my word, after all," Victor chuckled before the line went dead.

Entler sighed and leaned back in the seat, a feeling of regret and guilt crawling over him. Now that the city knew who was behind the attack, there was no telling what sort of fresh hell would break loose.

 **Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun. I had a lot of fun writing that last part; it's been a while since I've written some bad ss Victor. Also, I thought it was about time to introduce a new mayor that I hope is unique to most everyone else's.**

 **So, in other news, I finally have a new job! Luckily, this won't take away from my writing time as it is gonna be part-time and in the afternoons (hopefully), but I'll now be able to save up my muns and maybe even get some cover art for this story, since I'm being so lazy with Nick, lol**

 **Two more chapters until we get into Act 3. Prepare yourselves, cuz it's gonna get emotional. Until next time!**


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